Classical music in the 20th century
I can explain how classical music developed in the 20th century, identifying key features and genres.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
- Year 10
- AQA
Classical music in the 20th century
I can explain how classical music developed in the 20th century, identifying key features and genres.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
Lesson details
Key learning points
- In the 20th century, classical music developed in various different ways.
- Many composers used non-functional harmony, while some experimented with atonal and microtonal music.
- Experimental composers challenged core principles of the Western Classical Tradition (e.g. silent music, chance music).
- Minimalist composers wrote mostly diatonic music based on repeating ostinati and gradual changes.
Keywords
Atonal - music which has no key or tonic note
Minimalist music (minimalism) - a style of music that emerged in the 1960s in the USA, defined by its repetition of minimal musical ideas
Non-functional harmony - where chords don’t have their traditional roles (e.g. chord V resolving to I, using mostly primary chords)
Experimental music - music that radically challenges what we think of as 'normal' music
Ostinato - a short, repeating musical idea (plural: ostinati)
Common misconception
Non-functional harmony sounds the same as functional harmony.
While some of the chords might be the same, the difference is in the role. In functional harmony, chords have specific roles (e.g. V coming before I to create resolution). In non-functional harmony, any chord can be used whenever the composer wants.
Equipment
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