12-tone technique

Definition

The 12-tone technique is a method of musical composition devised by Arnold Schoenberg in the early 20th century that uses all twelve notes of the chromatic scale in a specific sequence or row to create melodies and harmonies. This technique aims to avoid traditional tonal centers and establishes a new way of organizing music, leading to atonality, which was significant in shaping the music of later composers, including those who embraced postmodern styles.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Schoenberg developed the 12-tone technique as a response to the perceived limitations of traditional harmony and tonality, marking a significant shift in musical composition.
2. The technique involves using a 'tone row' that includes all twelve pitches of the chromatic scale, which can be rearranged in various ways to create new musical material.
3. Composers like Alban Berg and Anton Webern, who were part of the Second Viennese School, adopted and adapted the 12-tone technique in their own works.
4. Although initially met with resistance, the 12-tone technique influenced many postmodern composers who sought to break free from classical traditions and explore new forms of expression.
5. The impact of the 12-tone technique extended beyond classical music, influencing other genres and encouraging experimentation with structure and dissonance.

Review Questions

• How did Arnold Schoenberg's development of the 12-tone technique influence the direction of music composition in the 20th century?
  • Arnold Schoenberg's development of the 12-tone technique marked a significant departure from traditional tonality, allowing composers to explore new musical territories. By using all twelve notes of the chromatic scale in a structured row, composers could create atonal music that challenged existing norms. This shift paved the way for subsequent movements in contemporary music, encouraging experimentation and influencing later composers to adopt similar techniques or respond to them.
• Discuss how the 12-tone technique relates to the works of postmodern composers like Schnittke, Pärt, and Górecki.
  • The 12-tone technique has a complex relationship with postmodern composers such as Schnittke, Pärt, and Górecki. While these composers often explored tonality and emotional expressiveness in their music, they were also influenced by atonal concepts introduced by Schoenberg. Schnittke's polystylistic approach sometimes incorporated 12-tone elements alongside traditional melodies, while Pärt's tintinnabuli style reflects an interest in structure reminiscent of serialism. Górecki's emotive minimalism also engages with the legacy of atonality through its stark contrasts and harmonic explorations.
• Evaluate how the principles of the 12-tone technique can be seen as a precursor to postmodern compositional methods.
  • The principles of the 12-tone technique serve as a precursor to postmodern compositional methods by challenging conventional approaches to harmony and form. By establishing a systematic way to organize pitches without reliance on tonal centers, it opened doors for composers to experiment with structure and texture beyond traditional boundaries. Postmodern composers frequently employed similar strategies of deconstruction and recontextualization of musical ideas, allowing for varied influences and styles that reflect the pluralistic nature of contemporary music.

Related terms

Atonality: A musical style that avoids establishing a tonal center, often associated with early 20th-century composers like Schoenberg.

Row: The specific sequence of the twelve pitches in the 12-tone technique, which can be manipulated through transposition, inversion, and retrograde.

Serialism: A broader compositional technique that organizes not just pitch but also other musical elements like rhythm and dynamics in a series, expanding on concepts introduced by the 12-tone technique.