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🎸Music History – 1850 to Present

🎸music history – 1850 to present review

4.1 Atonality and Serialism: Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern

4 min readLast Updated on August 13, 2024

Atonality and serialism shook up the music world in the early 20th century. Composers like Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern ditched traditional tonality, treating all pitches equally and creating new systems for organizing sound.

These radical ideas challenged listeners and sparked controversy. But they also opened up new possibilities for musical expression, influencing generations of composers and paving the way for avant-garde movements to come.

Atonality and Serialism in 20th-Century Music

The Concept of Atonality

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  • Atonality avoids the traditional hierarchy of tonal centers and functional harmony
  • Treats all pitches as equally important
  • Marked a significant departure from the tonal system that had dominated Western classical music for centuries
  • Challenged traditional notions of melody, harmony, and form
  • Expanded the boundaries of musical expression (chromaticism, dissonance)

The Development of Serialism

  • Serialism uses a fixed series of pitches, rhythms, dynamics, or other musical elements as the basis for a composition
  • The series is manipulated through various means (inversion, retrograde, transposition)
  • Developed in the early 20th century alongside atonality
  • Influenced composers beyond the Second Viennese School (Béla Bartók, Igor Stravinsky, Pierre Boulez)
  • Laid the groundwork for other avant-garde movements (total serialism, electronic music)

Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern: Techniques of Atonality

Schoenberg's Twelve-Tone Technique

  • Arnold Schoenberg developed the twelve-tone technique
  • All twelve pitches of the chromatic scale are treated as equally important
  • Pitches are arranged in a specific order called a tone row
  • Demonstrated in works such as the Piano Suite, Op. 25 and the Wind Quintet, Op. 26
  • Established the foundation for serial composition

Berg's Blend of Atonality and Tonality

  • Alban Berg's atonal and serial works often incorporate elements of traditional tonality
  • Uses expressive, lyrical melodies
  • Exemplified in the Violin Concerto and the opera Wozzeck
  • Blends atonal and serial techniques with more accessible musical elements
  • Creates a unique approach to atonality and serialism

Webern's Klangfarbenmelodie and Brevity

  • Anton Webern's compositions are characterized by their brevity and sparse textures
  • Employs klangfarbenmelodie (tone-color melody), distributing the melody among various instruments
  • Showcased in works like the Six Bagatelles for String Quartet, Op. 9 and the Symphony, Op. 21
  • Pushes the boundaries of serial techniques to new extremes
  • Distilled and highly concentrated approach to serialism

Schoenberg vs Berg vs Webern: Styles and Contributions

Schoenberg: The Pioneer

  • Considered the pioneer of atonality and the creator of the twelve-tone technique
  • Established the foundation for serial composition
  • Works often more abstract and intellectually rigorous compared to Berg and Webern
  • Key works include Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21 and the String Quartet No. 2, Op. 10

Berg: Emotional Expressivity

  • Works often incorporated elements of traditional tonality
  • More emotionally expressive compared to Schoenberg and Webern
  • Lyrical melodies and dramatic narratives (Wozzeck, Lulu)
  • Accessible and engaging while still employing atonal and serial techniques

Webern: Distillation and Concentration

  • Compositions characterized by brevity, sparse textures, and klangfarbenmelodie
  • Pushed the boundaries of serial techniques to new extremes
  • Highly concentrated and distilled musical expressions
  • Influenced the development of total serialism and pointillism in the post-war era

Shared Commitment to Innovation

  • All three composers shared a commitment to exploring new forms of musical expression
  • Challenged the conventions of Western classical music
  • Paved the way for future avant-garde and experimental movements

The Second Viennese School: Significance in Music History

Pivotal Role in 20th-Century Music

  • Introduced and refined the concepts of atonality and serialism
  • Profoundly impacted the direction of Western classical music
  • Influenced subsequent generations of composers
  • Shaped the course of avant-garde and experimental music (electronic music, minimalism)

Challenging Traditional Notions

  • Challenged traditional notions of tonality, harmony, and form
  • Expanded the boundaries of musical expression
  • Emphasized intellectual rigor and systematic approaches to composition
  • Laid the groundwork for other avant-garde movements (total serialism, electronic music)

Initial Resistance and Controversy

  • Atonal and serial works initially faced resistance and controversy
  • Seen as a radical departure from traditional musical norms
  • Criticized for being intellectually demanding and emotionally inaccessible
  • Gradually gained recognition and appreciation as influential and groundbreaking

Lasting Impact and Legacy

  • Significance and influence widely recognized in the context of 20th-century music history
  • Opened up new possibilities for musical expression and experimentation
  • Inspired generations of composers to push the boundaries of musical language
  • Continues to be studied, performed, and celebrated as a pivotal moment in Western classical music


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© 2025 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.