Expressionism

 

EXPRESSIONISM

 

“Expressionism” was was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany th at the begin beginning ning of the 20 20 century.

 

Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjectiv subjectivee perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas.

 

It used atonality and the twelvetone scale, lacking stable and conventional har conv harmonies. monies. It serv ser ved as a medium for expressing strong emotions, emot ions, such such as anxiety anxiety,, rage rage,, and alienation.

 

The style extended to a wide range of the arts, including expressionist architecture architecture,, painting, literature literature,, theatre, theatre, dance, film and music.

 

The term expressionism was probably first applied to music in 1918.

 

Characte Chara cteris risti tics cs Of Of Expressionism In Music

 

* episodic, fragmentar fragmentary y form and structure * abrupt musical language * clashing dissonances * interest in common man

 

* tonal tonality ity,, triadi triadicc har harmony mony,, an and d consonance vs. dissonance are not valid anymore * abstract procedures * great emotional intensity intensity

 

Famous Expressionists

 

Arnold Schoenberg

 

Arnold Ar nold Franz Walter Walter Sfamous choe choen nberg beAustrian rg or Schö Schön n berg be rg w a s a expressionist composer,, music theorist, composer theorist, and painter.

 

His works include the following: •

Verklarte Nacht, Three Pieces for Piano, op. 11

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Pierrot Lunaire

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Gurreleider 

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Verkarte Nacht (Transfigured Night, 1899) - one of his earliest earliest success successful ful pieces pieces,, whi which ch  blends the lyricism, lyricism, instrumentation, instrumentation, and melodic beauty of Brahms with the chromaticism and construction of Wagner.

 

Anton Ant on Webe eberrn

 

Anton Friedr Friedrich ich W Wilhel ilhelm mW Webern ebern was an Aus ustr tria ian n com compo pose serr and co cond nduc ucto torr. Alon Al ong gw wit ith h hi hiss m men ento torr Arnol Arnold d Scho Sc hoen enbe berg rg an and d hi hiss co coll llea eagu guee Al Alba ban n Berg, Weber Webern n was in the core of those in the the ccir ircl clee of th thee Sec Secon ond dV Vien iennes nesee Scho Sc hool ol,, inc inclu ludi ding ng Ernst Kren Kr enek ek and and Th Theo eodo dorr W. Ad Adorno orno..

 

His works include the following: •

Six Pieces Pieces for large large orchestra, orchestra, op. op. 6

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Langsamer Langs amer Satz Satz (slow (slow mov movement) ement) for string string

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quartet Passacaglia for orchestra, op. 1 Quartet for violin, clarinet, tenor saxophone and piano, piano, op. op. 22

 

Alban Berg

 

Alban Maria Johannes Berg was an Austrian composer of the Second Seccompositional ond Vie ienne nnese se Scho Sstyle chool. ol. His His combine com bined d Romantic ntic lyri yricism cism with twelv twelve-ton e-tonee technique technique..

 

His works include the following: •

Violin Concerto

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Piano Sonata, op. 1 String Quartet, op. op. 3 Wozzeck, op. 7