Lecture on Serialism in 20th Century Music

Introduction

• Topic: Serialism in music, focusing on the mid-20th century.
• Context: Composers wrote music that was often incomprehensible to the general public.
• Objective: Understand serialism and its cultural context.

Predecessors to Serialism

• Second Viennese School: Key figures include Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton von Webern.
• Schoenberg's Atonal Music: Struggled with freely atonal music; needed guiding principles similar to tonal music.
• Twelve-Tone Technique: Developed by Schoenberg to organize atonal music.
  • Tone Row: A specific order of notes from the chromatic scale.
  • Composition Techniques: Original row (prime), inversion (upward intervals become downward), retrograde (row backward), and retrograde inversion.

Set Theory in Music

• Set Theory: Borrowed from mathematics to analyze music.
  • Grouping Notes: Typically in groups of three or four.
  • Example: Viennese trichord – dissonant collection of notes.

Cultural Context of Serialism

• Post-WWII Influence: Anton von Webern's work greatly influenced serialism post-WWII.
  • His death symbolized a lost hope; viewed as a prophet by some.
• Soviet Realism: Soviet Union's conservative musical agenda under Stalin.
  • Focus: Music had to be understandable, patriotic, and diatonic.

Development of Serialism

• Expansion: Applied to orchestration, rhythm, and tempo.
• Key Figures:
  • Olivier Messiaen: Applied serialism to rhythmic values.
  • Pierre Boulez: Advocated for 'total serialism' where every aspect of music was predetermined.

Serialism's Influence and Limitations

• Strict Serialists: Figures like Boulez and Stockhausen pushed for extreme adherence.
  • Concerns: Led to music that was less accessible and often similar-sounding.
• Divergence: Some composers like John Cage and Leonard Bernstein explored different musical styles.

Criticism and Decline

• Backlash: Minimalism emerged in response to serialism's limitations.
• Modern Context: Serialism's influence persists but is no longer dominant.
  • Film Scores: A realm where neo-romantic elements thrived.
• Impact: Serialism's emphasis on complexity and inaccessibility affected classical music's audience reach and appeal.

Conclusion

• Reflection: Serialism's impact on music history is profound but also a cautionary tale of prioritizing complexity over accessibility.