Twentieth Century Music: An Introduction (4e)

• Widely hailed for its complete, accurate coverage in a tightly condensed, simple format, this comprehensive exploration of modern music deals primarily with the music itself and musical ideas. It puts the whole century in a unified concept, helping students make sense out of the heterogeneity. It explains the overall development of 20th century music in relation to the past and to two big cycles of contemporary music; and encompasses classical and experimental traditions as well as popular elements, media, multi-media, and theater.
• In the Prentice Hall History of Music Series.

I. INTRODUCTION.

II. THE BREAKDOWN OF TRADITIONAL TONALITY.

III. THE NEW TONALITIES.

IV. ATONALITY AND TWELVE-TONE MUSIC.

V. THE AVANT-GARDE.

VI. POST-MODERNISM.

• The music from the past 10 years (to 1998)—Incorporated extensively throughout, rather than gathered into one chapter.

  • Provides students and instructors with the complete picture of 20th century music, including the works and techniques of composers and performers on the cutting-edge. Ex.___

• Expanded section on North America—Includes more American composers, recent works by living American composers already listed, and references to some noted Canadian composers (R. Murray Schafer, Harry Somers).

  • Draws students into the material through music of their own contemporary culture. Ex.___

• Back to Tonality (Ch. 19)—Reorganized and updated to include: The Darmstadt Controversy; Minimalism (with discussions of the recent works of Glass [Voyage], Adanis [El Dorado], and Reich [The Cave]); Neo-Romanticism in America (new composers); and New Tonality in Europe (with new material such as Michael Nyman's film scores [e.g., the Piano]).

• Pop as Culture (Ch. 20)—Updates discussion of Jazz and Rock to cover composers working with pop, rock and minimalism, and expressionism; and Non-Western Currents and New-Age Music with a new section on Tan Dun and his recent works (e.g., Marco Polo).

  • Allows students to see the pop/rock influence on new compositions. Ex.___

• Media and Theater (Ch. 21)—Expands coverage of Performance Art and Music Theater to include discussions of the recent works of Meredith Monk, Robert Wilson (Black Rider with Tom Waits), Robert Ashley (Now Eleanor's Idea); and Recent Broadway Works to include Maury Yestin (Titanic), Lloyd Webber (Sunset Boulevard), and Sondheim (Passion).

  • Shows students the popularity of performance art. Ex.___

• Expanded bibliographies at the end of each chapter—Includes recent scholarship on the topics covered, and composer's dates.

  • Provides students and instructors with a ready reference for more in-depth study. Ex.___

• NEW - The music from the past 10 years (to 1998)—Incorporated extensively throughout, rather than gathered into one chapter.

  • Provides students and instructors with the complete picture of 20th century music, including the works and techniques of composers and performers on the cutting-edge. Ex.___

• NEW - Expanded section on North America—Includes more American composers, recent works by living American composers already listed, and references to some noted Canadian composers (R. Murray Schafer, Harry Somers).

  • Draws students into the material through music of their own contemporary culture. Ex.___

• NEW - Back to Tonality (Ch. 19)—Reorganized and updated to include: The Darmstadt Controversy; Minimalism (with discussions of the recent works of Glass [Voyage], Adanis [El Dorado], and Reich [The Cave]); Neo-Romanticism in America (new composers); and New Tonality in Europe (with new material such as Michael Nyman's film scores [e.g., the Piano]).

• NEW - Pop as Culture (Ch. 20)—Updates discussion of Jazz and Rock to cover composers working with pop, rock and minimalism, and expressionism; and Non-Western Currents and New-Age Music with a new section on Tan Dun and his recent works (e.g., Marco Polo).

  • Allows students to see the pop/rock influence on new compositions. Ex.___

• NEW - Media and Theater (Ch. 21)—Expands coverage of Performance Art and Music Theater to include discussions of the recent works of Meredith Monk, Robert Wilson (Black Rider with Tom Waits), Robert Ashley (Now Eleanor's Idea); and Recent Broadway Works to include Maury Yestin (Titanic), Lloyd Webber (Sunset Boulevard), and Sondheim (Passion).

  • Shows students the popularity of performance art. Ex.___

• NEW - Expanded bibliographies at the end of each chapter—Includes recent scholarship on the topics covered, and composer's dates.

  • Provides students and instructors with a ready reference for more in-depth study. Ex.___

• A wide field of reference—Covers multi-media, theater, opera, pop and jazz, and takes vernacular music seriously.

  • Offers students a wider reference and relates to their experiences. Ex.___

• The relationship and differences between contemporary music and the past.

  • Helps students understand the evolution of contemporary music and how knowing about the music of one era holds clues to the riches of another. Ex.___

• Twentieth-century music as two large cycles, and the appearance of “post-modern” styles as the logical outcome for the second cycle.

  • Shows students a model for classifying 20th Century music. Ex.___

• The upheavals in music through the sixties and eighties, and the course of music approaching the end of the century.

  • Shows students the turbulent period of contemporary music. Ex.___