Serialism and Minimalism

These were particularly influential innovations in 20th Century music.

Serialism

• Schöenberg was the founder of serialism, a 12-note system that replaced tonality [Tonality: The organisation of melodies and harmonies to give the piece a centre key or pitch. ].
• The composer first arranges the 12 notes of the chromatic scale in any order of his or her choice. This becomes the note-row.
• All 12 notes are of equal importance and they should appear in the order of the note-row, although they can be repeated.
• As well as using the note-row in its original form, it may be used backwards (retrograde), upside down (inversion), or both backwards and upside down (retrograde inversion).
• Each of these can be transposed [Transpose: To rewrite a piece of music in a different key from the original. ] to begin on any note of the chromatic scale.

Playing the clips will help you to follow these changes.

Original

Retrograde

Inversion

Retrograde Inversion

• Schöenberg's pupils Berg and Webern also took up serialism.
• Berg was much freer in his approach and often brought in extra material not drawn form the series.
• Webern was much stricter in his use of serialism.

Minimalism

• This kind of music uses repeated ostinati [Ostinati: A phrase or pattern that is repeated throughout a section of music. ].
• Small changes in musical phrase are introduced one by one.
• This may include phase shifting in which parts gradually move out of sync with each other.
• The music has a hypnotic quality.
• Music technology may be employed.
• Philip Glass and Steve Reich are prominent minimalist composers.

Listen to these two examples of minimalist music by Steve Reich: