Most outstanding 20th century composers

With the passage of time, we evolve in our skills and we arrive at the need to reinvent ourselves, something that is more and more difficult because with everything that is done epoch after epoch, since inventions accumulate and it is a challenge to create something totally new. Even so, there are prodigious characters who achieve it, the proof in life of it are composers of the twentieth century, who manage to break with all conventions, taking the old and making it new, hence their genius in art. We will learn more in this lesson from a TEACHER about these exceptional people and their role in the evolution of music.

With so much tradition behind it, the 20th century was a period of extreme cultural and artistic diversity. Musically, many composers were still influenced by romantic style of the previous century and by the waves and details of the impressionism, and many characters felt the need to innovate and break or combine formal conventions classical music, risking breaking certain basic rules to which they used to be governed. But above all, the composers of the twentieth century

they were looking for originality.

Another interesting factor of this music stage is the emergence of new styles like jazz and rock, that they would come to take the place as popular music and gradually replace classical music in that sense. While some composers still maintained a taste for classical structure, many others fused the new genres that appealed to both the general public and fans of the tradition.

The diversity of 20th century composers is wide, so we'll focus on just a few of the most influential artists of the time. They are as follows:

Arnold Schönberg (1874 - 1951, Austria)

Many claim that along with Igor Stravinsky, Schönberg (or Schoenberg) was the most important composer of the 20th century. He is credited with the title of pioneer in the world of atonal composition (without a specific tonality), and above all this leads him to establish the techniques of the twelve-tone, which is the composition based on the 12 notes of the western scale. Notable works: Transfigured Night, The Wait.

Igor Stravinsky (1882 - 1971, Russia)

Stravinsky is another of the best composers of the 20th century. He lived a long life and this allowed him experience musical transitions within various streams. Among them, primitivism, neoclassicism and serialism stand out.. He also investigated various genres such as operas, symphonies, piano pieces, and even jazz. In addition to being a composer, he rose to fame as a pianist and conductor. One of his contributions that stands out the most from him is the reinvention of genres like ballet, in which he broke with many musical and social conventions. Notable works: Petrushka, The Rite of Spring, The Firebird.

George Gershwin (1898 - 1937, United States)

Throughout his career he formed a creative binomial with his brother Ira Gershwin, together with which they created numerous popular works that today are considered musical and jazz standards. Gershwin is recognized for the genius of creating a perfect combination of classical music and jazz. He also investigated unusual social issues such as the slavery of African Americans in the United States, which earned him the peak of his career with opera. "Porgy and bess." Notable works: Rhapsody in Blue, Porgy and Bess.

Duke Ellington (1899 - 1974, United States)

Ellington is another of the most prominent 20th century composers. He was a composer, pianist and leader of his own jazz big band orchestra, originating from the legendary New York jazz club “Cotton Club”. Ellington is an essential and fundamental figure in the history of jazz. While his style is predominantly jazz, Ellington brings symphonic elements to his orchestra, fusing swing instruments with classical instruments. As a composer, he is responsible for many popular standards that persist today. Notable works: Caravan, In a Sentimental Mood, Solitude.

Dimitri Shostakovich (1906 - 1975, Russia)

Throughout his life, Shostakovich was involved in national affairs relating to the Union system. Soviet, sometimes revealing itself in his music and therefore in controversy, as is the case with his opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. Shostakovich is recognized for his particular style, sometimes described as grotesque thanks to his strong contrasts and intensities. He stands out for his symphonies (15), his concerts (6) and chamber music, in addition to composing operas and investigating the areas of cinema and ballet. Notable works: Symphony No.1, Symphony No.12, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.

John Cage (1912 - 1992, United States)

Cage was a multifaceted person entering not only in the area of ​​music but in the poetry, philosophy, spirituality and painting among other skills. Thanks to his broad and conventional vision, he created highly controversial works that broke with all conventional standards, being 4’33’’ the best example, a work of 3 movements where not a single note is played. Cage thus also breaks the barrier between spectacle and interaction as a social experiment. For this and more, John Cage was a pioneer of random music, electronic music, and music with unconventional instruments. Notable works: 4’33 ’’, Music of Changes, Radio Music.

Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990, United States)

Bernstein is recognized as the first American conductor to obtain World Fame. In addition to being a director and composer of works of classical conventional forms, he also created musical works for theater and film. Notable works: West Side Story, Candide, A New Day in New York.

Philip Glass (1937, United States)

And we finish this review by the most important twentieth century composers to talk about Glass. He is recognized primarily as a composer of minimalist music.Glass has created a wide variety of works including more than 20 operas, 11 symphonies, 3 piano concertos, and less conventional concertos for instruments such as timpani. He has also participated in collaborations in the area of ​​cinema, which largely attributed his current fame. Notable works: Soundtrack for the film Koyaanistqatsi, Glassworks, The Juniper Tree.

Having already learned more about the genius of these twentieth-century composers, you can dedicate yourself to enjoying the musical diversity that they can offer you, not only in music itself but in other areas such as cinema and theater.