There are many styles and types of music written this century. A few
include Contemporary, Jazz, Ragtime, Popular, Musicals, Film etc.
Modern contemporary music sounds disjointed and peculiar
to the ear. It usually has no tuneful melody or key and is atonal.
Electric and percussive instruments are used predominantly in
more recent music. Most recently, the use of computer technology has
affected the world of music making.
Many new styles of music emerged including Serialism
(atonal music), Impressionism and Neo -Classicism
(ie.‘new’ Classica style as opposed to the ‘old’style).
Some composers used folk songs to enriched their music. Examples can be seen
in the music of Vaughan Williams (England), Bartok (Hungary), Villa Lobos
(Brazil) and Copland (USA).
Ensembles: Jazz Band, Big Band, Pop Group,
Multi-cultural / Ethnic ensembles (eg. Gamelan orchestra).
Composers: Lloyd-Webber, (Musicals) Scott Joplin, (Ragtime)
Debussy,(Impressionism-orchestral) Stravinsky, (Neo-Classical-orchestral)
Bartok, (Nationalism-orchestral), Copland, Vaughan Williams.
Test your knowledge of key words from the 20th
Century by going to my revision page.
Back to GCSE
Historical Periods
Click here
to test yourself on key words
[ Factfile ] [ GCSE Musical Style ] [ GCSE Listening Questions ] [ Vocal Style ] [ Historical Periods ] [ Composing Log ] [ GCSE Evaluation Guide ] [ GCSE Revision Activities ]
