The Modern Era

1. The Modern Era • and World & Popular styles

2. The Modern Era-overview • As we approach the late 19th century composers such as Wagner, Mahler and Richard Strauss had become more adventurous with their compositions, experimenting with more unusual chords, harmonies and structures. • The strict rules of harmony and the Major/Minor tonalities that had been in place since the Baroque Era became more like guidelines that were challenged and pushed wherever possible.

3. The Modern Era-overview • By the time we reached the end of the first decade of the 20th century, there were composers who had completely abandoned these ‘rules’ and were composing music that was Atonal. • As the 20th century progressed, many varying styles and forms would develop, even within the ‘classical’ tradition—there is no one dominant style in the 20th century and beyond. This is mirrored by the diversity and pace of life and progression of technology as a whole in the 20th century.

4. The Modern Era-overview • The way in which we identify and label Baroque Era, Classical Era, and Romantic Era music doesn’t quite work in The Modern Era; the music is too diverse to use a single label. As such ‘Modern’ is an umbrella term that encompasses many different styles, all of which you will need to be able to differentiate.

5. Modern Era Composers • Some important composers of the Modern Era include: Philip Glass John Williams George Gershwin Arnold Schoenberg

6. Be careful… • In this PowerPoint the term ‘classical’ is used to mean the opposite of popular – do not confuse this with The Classical Era (1750-1820). • Hint: Capital C means The Classical Era. Small c means classical music in general from any of the periods.

7. Consonancevs. Dissonance • Consonance: Notes and chords that sound nice when played together. • Dissonance: Notes and chords that clash and don’t sound nice together.

8. Consonancevs. Dissonance • As we learned in the introduction, music from the Baroque to Late Romantic Eras followed strict rules of harmony and was therefore for the most part consonant. Although there were dissonances, they were treated very carefully and always had to be resolved quickly.  • As composers began to follow these rules less and less, we end up with more dissonances in music that weren’t always resolves. The end result is music that sounds like this:

9. Atonal • Most of the music we listen to every day is either in Major or Minor tonality – this means the music has a ‘key note’ that gives the harmony a structure that encourages a consonant sound. • The piece you have just heard so completely Dissonant is said to be atonal. • Atonal: Music with no key note, resulting in extremely dissonant and strange sounding music.

10. Discords and Clusters • The dissonant sound of some 20th Century music – particularly atonal music – can be achieved by using Discords and Clusters. • Discord– A dissonant chord • Cluster – A type of discord where all the notes are very close together.

11. Minimalism • A styledeveloped in the second half of the 20th century. • Minimalism uses very short, simple ideas (ostinatos) and fragments but repeats them over and over again, with ideas changing very slowly over time. • “Piano Phase” by Steve Reich

12. Minimalism • Some composers of Minimalism include Terry Riley, Steve Reich and Philip Glass. • Philip Glass’ music can be heard in a lot of films such as The Hours and The Truman show. • One of the main concepts used in Minimalism in the Ostinato.

13. S2 Revision - Ostinato • A short melody or rhythm that is repeated over and over again. • Ostinatos are used often in Minimalism but can be found in many other styles of music.

14. The Whole Tone Scale • Some music from this era has a very “Dreamy” or Hazy feel. • A musical feature that helps give music that “Dreamy” sound is the use of the Whole Tone Scale. • Whole Tone Scale: A scale containing no semitones but built entirely on whole tones.

15. Semitones and Tones • Semitone: The distance from one key to the very nearest key. • Tone: Two semitones – always has one key in-between.

16. Whole Tone Scale `

17. Musical style quiz! • In your groups discuss what style/period of music these excerpts come from. Choose from Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Atonal, Minimalism. Give as many reasons as possible for your answer. • Excerpt 1 • Excerpt 2 • Excerpt 3 • Excerpt 4 • Excerpt 5 • Excerpt 6

18. World Music • In the 20th Century we became much more familiar with styles of music from all around the world. • Scottish Music might be seen as World Music to someone from another country—although you already know all about Scottish Music! • A lot of these styles you will have learned in second year. Use these slides to revise.

19. Latin American • Dance music from South America • Very rhythmical and syncopated. Features lots of percussion. • There are many different styles including: • SambaSalsaTangoCha-Cha

20. Steel band (Steel Drums) • A West Indian band whose instruments are made out of oil drums called pans. • The top of each drum is hammered into panels to make different pitches.

21. Reggae • Developed in the late 1960s in Jamaica. It has a very distinctive sound with a syncopated feel. • Bob Marley was one of the most influential reggae artists of all time. • Though his popularity Reggae has spread all over the world – Birmingham based UB40 are the most successful Reggae act of all time!

22. Indian • Indian music typically features the instruments Sitar and Tabla. • These are essentially Indian Guitar and Drums.

23. African • African music is very rhythmic and features percussion heavily. • Vocal music is also very popular, either singing in harmony A Capella or accompanied by a drum ensemble.

24. African • African music has heavily influenced Western music, with Paul Simon collaborating the African group Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the use of African music in The Lion King (especially the stage version.)

25. Gospel • Music written with religious lyrics, often in praise or thanksgiving to God. • Although you learned about Gospel in the Jazz Unit, Gospel has strong influences in African-American music an culture.

26. World Music Instruments • What do you think this instrument is? • Castanets • A percussion instrument popular in Spanish music. It consists of two shells, traditionally made of wood, joined with string and clicked together.

27. World Music Instruments • What do you think this instrument is? • Pan Pipes • Traditional pan pipes are hollow tubes made from bamboo or wood, and bound together.

28. World Music Instruments • What do you think this instrument is? • Guiro • This instrument belongs to the percussion family. It is made of wood that has been hollowed out and has ridges cut into the outer surface. A wooden stick is scraped along the ridges to produce the sound.

29. World Music Instruments • What do you think this instrument is? • Bongo drums • Fairly high-pitched drums, joined in pairs and usually played with fingers and palms

30. 20th Century Jazz/Popular music • You have already studied all these styles… here is a quick revision! • Jazz • Blues • Swing • Ragtime

31. Popular Styles • Rock ‘n’ Roll • 1950s American music which grew from the combined styles of jazz, blues, gospel and country. • Rock • A style of popular music with a heavy, driving beat. Usually features electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit.

32. Pop • ‘Popular music’ • Can either mean anything that is not ‘classical’ or specifically a style of music that is quite catchy and a lot less heavy than rock or rock ‘n’ roll.

33. Rapping • Rhyming lyrics that are spoken and performed in time to a beat. • Used heavily in Hip-Hop music • Famous rappers include Eminem, Will Smith and Jay Z

34. Middle Eight • In popular music, a section which provides a contrast to the opening section. It is often eight bars long. Often comes after the second chorus. • Listen to Super Trouper by Abba. • Song Structure: • A Cappella intro, Verse 1, Chorus 1, Verse 2, Chorus 2, Middle 8, Final Choruses.

35. Chord Progressions • Many pop songs have similar chords progressions; loops of so many chords, usually 4 that repeat over and over. There are two particular progressions you will need to learn.

36. Chord Progressions •  Rock ‘n’ Roll/50s • I iv IV V

37. Chord Progressions • Pachelbel/Axis of Awesome • I V iv IV

38. Electronic Effects • Distortion: • An electronic effect used in rock music to colour the sound of an electric guitar. It gives a 'fuzzy' sound rather than the usual clean sound. • Reverb: • An electronic effect which can give the impression of different hall acoustics.

39. Knowledge Check 1 • What style are these excepts? Choose from Latin Amercian, Steel Band, Reggae, African, Indian and Gospel. • Excerpt 1 • Excerpt 2 • Excerpt 3 • Excerpt 4 • Excerpt 5 • Excerpt 6

40. Knowledge Check 2 • What style are these excepts? Choose from Rock, Pop, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Rapping, Blues and Swing. • Excerpt 1 • Excerpt 2 • Excerpt 3 • Excerpt 4 • Excerpt 5 • Excerpt 6

41. Other Concepts • This page lists some concepts that don’t fit into any particular unit. • This means they could appear in any style or period so they are very important!

42. Glissando • A slide from one pitch to another, including as many pitches in between as possible.

43. Pitch Bend • Changing the pitch of a note, for example by pushing a guitar string upwards.

44. Countermelody • A melody played against the main melody.

45. Descant • A counter melody which accompanies and is sung above the main melody.

46. Cross Rythm • Term used to describe the effect of two notes being played against three (eg in piano music it might be groups of two quavers in the right hand and groups of triplets in the left). • The term is also used to describe the effect that occurs when the accents in a piece of music are different from those suggested by the time signature (eg the division of 4/4 time into 3+3+2 quavers).

47. Flutter Tonguing • Rolling your 'r's whilst playing a brass or woodwind instrument. • An “rrrrrrr” blown through a woodwind or brass instrument

48. Pedal • A bass note that stays on the same pitch while the harmonies above develop as normal.This could be repeated notes or a single sustained note. • Normally in music when the chords change, the bass note changes with it. However, with a Pedal, the bass note stays on the same pitch (or letter) even though the chords are changing. It goes against the harmonies and creates a grounded feel to the music.

49. Pedal • Think of Me from Phantom of The Opera: listen to the left hand of the piano. It keeps repeating the same note while the chord changes every bar. • Blow the Wind by Jocelyn Pook: this time the pedal is a single sustained note in the low strings.

50. Pedal • You’re my best friend by Queen: This one is a bit different - it has repeated Cs in the bass but also jumps octave to a higher C. This still counts as a pedal as the chords above move while the bass remains on C. C Dm7/C