Quarter 1 – Module 2

MUSIC 10
Week 7
 After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. Describe distinctive musical elements of given pieces in 20th century styles;
2. Explain the performance practice (setting, composition, role of
composers/performers, and audience) of 20th century music;
3. Relate 20th century music to other art forms and media during the same
period;
4. Perform music sample from the 20th century
5. Evaluate music and music performances using guided rubrics.

What I Need to Know

Pre-Assessment
Directions: Read the questions carefully. Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which one of the musical compositions of Sergie Prokofeiff is intended

only for children?
A. Romeo and Juliet C. Peter and Wolf
B. War and Peace D. Song of the Bagpipe
2. How many years did the Mikrokosmos, as one of the exceptional works of
Bartok last?
A. 12 B.13 C.14 D.15
3. Who among the composers was born to musical parents and died on
September 26, 1945, in New York City?
A. Bela Bartok C. Igor Stravinsky
B. Sergei Prokofieff D. George Gershwin
4. Who was the proponent of the Neo-classicism?
A. Claude Debussy C. Joseph Maurice Ravel
B. Igor Stravinsky D. Arnold Schoenberg
5. Which of the following countries Claude Debussy was born?
A. Germany B. Italy C. France D. Sweden
6. Which of the following phrases is an appropriate meaning of Syncopation?
A. On-the-beat accent C. Off-the-beat accent
 B. On-the-air of accent D. On-the-speeding up the tempo
1. Which one of the following basic related terms of meter cannot be observed
through the standard patterns used by the conductors?
A. Andante B. Quadruple C. Triple D. Duple
2. Which of the following musical elements refers to the horizontal and linear
presentation of a pitch?
A. Dynamics B. Melody C. Harmony D. Form
3. Which texture of music gives a pattern of regular or irregular pulses occur of
strong and weak melodic and harmonic beats?
A. Rhythm B. Harmony C. Melody D. Movement
4. Which movement of music that depicts the particular emotions, responses of
objects, and events arouse in the artist?
A. Modern-nationalism C. Impressionism
B. Expressionism D. Neo-classical
5. Which movement of music seeks to return in aesthetic precepts associated
with the broadly defined concept?
A. Avant-garde C. Neo-classicism
C. Expressionism D. Impressionism
6. Which of the following choices that is invented by the performers and in making or
doing something which is not planned?
A. Active B. Domineering C. Progressive D. Improvisation
7. Which of the following melodies is described as smooth, easy to sing and
play?
A. Conjunct C. Dissonance
B. Consonance D. Disjunct
8. Which kind of musical element produces different sound qualities depending
on the characteristic of its pattern?
A. Theme B. Texture C. Pitch D. Tone/Timber
9. Which attitude of a composer is described as the ability to make new things
or think of new ideas?
A. Creative B. Possessive C. Advance D. Timid
 This lesson will help you understand the distinctive musical elements of
given pieces at the same time the cultural and historical background of the
composers of the 20th century. If you encounter problems and difficulties in
answering it, seek assistance from your teacher or facilitator. You can also
consult your peers or refer to the module you have studied previously for
reference and guidance. You may check your work with your teachers.

In this lesson, you are expected to:

 Describe distinctive musical elements of given pieces in 20th century

styles.

Directions: Inside the box are the names of the prominent composers in the 20th
century. Identify the pictures by writing the number on the space provided
before each name.

PROMINENT COMPOSERS

____Arnold Schoenberg ____Claude Debussy

____ Igor Stravinsky ____ Joseph Maurice Ravel
____Francis Poulenc ____ George Gershwin
____Bela Bartok ____Phillip Glass
____Leonard Bernstein ____Sergei Prokofeiff
____William Schuman ____ Nikolai Korsakov
____ Alexander Borodin ____ Mily Balakirev
____Ramon Santos ____ Lucresia Kasilag

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 Welcome to the first topic of the lesson. You will be
learning the transition of the music of the 20th century. So,
what are you waiting for? Start having fun and be informed
of the different movements in music.

In your lessons on vocal music of the romantic period in Grade 9, you sang and
performed themes of selected songs. Vocal music was one of the best tools for
expressing one’s feelings. The romantic period’s basic quality is emotional subjectivity,
the composer’s feelings of grandiosity, intimacy, unpredictability, sadness, rapture, and
longing. To fully understand and appreciate music as a whole, this module will let you
experience and explore the transitory period in the music of the 20th century. Through
understanding the past, we learn to appreciate the things we enjoy today.

Music of the 20th Century:

The musical works of the 20th century introduced new styles and movements of
music with dissonances, percussive sounds, and irregular rhythms. Music of the 20th
century was greatly influenced by the movements in Europe in the context of
Impressionism, Expressionism, Neo-classicism, Avant-Garde and Modern Nationalism.
These musical movements contribute various styles and distinctive compositions and
arrangements behind their innovative and experimental styles.

“The Transitory Period and the Musical Movement”

What is It

EXPRESSIONISM
Expressionism presents atonality and the twelve-tone scale revealing composer’s
mind, expressing strong emotions, anxiety, rage, and alienation. It expresses the

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meaning of emotional experience rather than physical reality. One of the proponents of
expressionism is Arnold Schoenberg.

ARNOLD SCHOENBERG (1874-1951)

Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer born last September 13, 1874, in
a working-class of Suburb of Vienna, Austria. He was famous as
the exponent of the twelve-tone system with twelve tones related
only to one another also known as the serial technique. He was
influenced by Richard Wagner, a German composer.
His contribution to music includes atonality, meaning the
absence of key evolved from an emphasis on chromatic harmony
in the liberal use of the twelve tones in a chromatic scale. Apart
from it, he also includes serialism and Sprechstimmre which is a
manner of performing a song with half-sung and half-spoken. In
1908, he began to write approximately 213 musical compositions
include concerte, orchestral music, piano music, opera, choral music, songs, and other
instrumental music. His works include the following:
 Verklarte Nacht, Three Pieces for Piano, op. 1
 Pierrot Lunaire,
 Gurreleider
 Verklarte Nacht (Transfigured Night, 1899)
He died last July 13, 195, in Los Angeles, California, USA where he had settled
since 1934.

1. NEOCLASSICISM
Neo-classicism music is different from the two movements. This is light,
entertaining, cool, and independent of its emotional content. The composition style used
by the composer was the seven-note diatonic scale. This period combines tonal
harmonies applying with slight dissonance which has a three- movement format like
shifting time signatures, complex but exciting rhythmic patterns, as well as harmonic
dissonance that produce harsh chords. The composers of this time in neo-classicism
are Francis Poulenc, Igor Stravinsky, Paul Hindemith, and Sergei Prokofeiff.
IGOR STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)

Igor Stravinsky was a Russian born composer and

conductor who became both and American and a French
citizen, he was born last June 17, 1882, in Oraniaenbaum (now
Lomonosov) Russia. His style of music is neoclassical which
uses scale, cords, and tone color in a clear and traditional way
with frequent changes in meter signature, offbeat syncopation,
and displacing regular accent as he utilize. He adopted the
forms of 18th century music with his contemporary style of
writing, very structured, precise, controlled, full of artifice, and
theatricality despite its shocking modernity. In 1939, he went to USA and venture
another style of music to experience his passion and wanted to integrate his knowledge
in Russian music. However, he opted and slowly turned back into his nationalistic style
of Russian music and cultivate his neoclassical style in which Stravinsky’s work.

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 Stravinsky was able to produce a musical output of approximately 127 works,
including concerti, orchestral music, instrumental music, operas, and ballets, solo vocal,
and choral music. On April 6, 1971 he died in New York City. The following are the
works of Stravinsky:
Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911), The Rite of Spring (1913), The wedding
(1923), AND Agon (1957), orchestral music like Symphonies of wind instruments
(1920), concerto for pianos and winds (1924), Dumbarton Oaks Concerto (1938),
Symphony in C (1940), Symphony in 3 movements (1945), and Ebon concerto (1945);
choral music like Symphony of Psalms (1930), Canticum Sacrum (1955), Threni (1958),
and Requiem Canticles (1966); and operas like The Rake’s Progress (1951), opera
oratorio Oedipus Rex (1927), and other dramatic works like the Soldier’s Hale (1918).
SERGEI PROKOFIEFF (1891-1953)
He was born last 1891 in Ukraine. He combined the movements of music like
Neoclassicism, Nationalism, and Avant-Garde composition. With
his progressive technique, pulsating rhythms, melodic directness,
and a resolving dissonance he was uniquely recognized. In
writing symphonies, chamber music, concerte, and solo
instrumental music, he became a productive and prolific
composer. He worked and linked with other composers,
combined styles of Haydn and Mozart as classicist and Igor
Stravinsky as Neo-Classicist also inspired by Beethoven with two
highly regarded violin concerte and two string quartets.
With his desire to write music for the ballet and opera, he
was given a chance to contact with Diaghilev and Stravinsky for Romeo and Juliet for
ballet, and War and Peace for opera. He intendedly wrote a light-hearted orchestral
work for children to pacify the continuing government restrictions and disciplinary
actions at the time of Avant-Garde composers entitled Peter and the Wolf. He died in
Moscow on March 15, 1953.

BELA BARTOK (1881-1945)

Bela Bartok was born last March 25, 1881 in
Nagyszentmiklos, Hungary (Romania). Began lessons with
his mother and made folk songs transcription. He opened the
way to new modal kinds of harmony and irregular meter. He
was a Hungarian composer and pianist, created a distinctive
musical style using folk music. He excelled in instrumental
music writing many works for solo piano pieces, six string
quartets and other chamber music, three concertos for piano,
one for violin and several compositions for orchestras, the
reinterpreted, traditional-musical forms like the rondo, fugue,
and sonata. He utilized changing meters and strong
syncopations in his music style.
The six string quartet is the greatest achievement of his creative life that lasted
for full 30 years for their completion. He combined difficult and dissonant music with
mysterious sounds as description of the composition.
Approximately 700 musical compositions include concerti, orchestral music,
piano music, instrumental music, dramatic music, choral music, and songs. The
concerto for orchestra in 1943, is a five-movement work featuring the exceptional
talents of each various soloist in an intricately constructive piece. On the other hand,
Allegro Barbaro (1911) drew percussive sounds with swirling rhythms where a solo
piano is punctuated. Meanwhile, Mikrokosmos contains a collection of six books as a
legacy in music introducing and familiarizing contemporary harmony and rhythm to the

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piano students technically and progressively. In 1940, he left Hungary for the United
States. On September 26, 1945, he died of leukemia in New York City Hospital.
2. AVANT-GARDE

This form of music was considered as the vanguard of experimentation or

innovation period. The existing aesthetic and conventional type of music has been put
on to criticize, rejecting the status quo in favor of unique or original elements. Adopting
extreme composition within a certain tradition the so- called “Experimental Music”. The
new attitude will be altered toward musical movement and it varies in the continuity
where the notes being grouped into.
The proponents of the Avant-Garde Movement of Music are George Gershwin,
Leonard Bernstein, and Phillip Glass.

GEORGE GERSHWIN
He was considered as a phenomenal composer,
a cross-over artist, and a father of American Jazz.
Noteworthy of evidence with his numerous songs,
serious compositions remain highly popular in the
classical repertoire, and with the mixture of the
primitive and sophisticated music which lasted long
after his death. He composed 369 musical works, including orchestral music, chamber
music, musical theater, film musicals, operas, and songs.

Among the compositions are the following: Rhapsody in Blue (1924), and
American in Paris (1928), Porgy and Bess (1934). He was fascinated with classical
music influenced by Ravel, Stravinsky, Berg, and Schoenberg as well as the group of
contemporary that shapes the character of his major works like half jazz and half
classical known as “Les Six”. He died last July 11, 1937 in Hollywood, California, USA.

LEONARD BERNSTEIN (1918-1990)

This notable composer was born in

Massachusetts, USA, he commended himself as a
charismatic conductor, pianist, composer, and
lecturer to his many followers. On November 14,
1943, he was requested to be a substitute for the
ailing Bruno Walter in conducting the New York
Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert.
Bernstein’s compositions for the stage are the
key that made people known him. Among these is
the musical West Side Story (1957), an American version of Romeo and Juliet, which
displays a tuneful, off-beat, and highly atonal approach to the songs. Other outputs
include another Broadway hit Candide (1956) and the much-celebrated Mass (1971).
His musical compositions total around 90. He composed the music for the film
On the Waterfront (1954). He was fondly remembered for his television series “Young
People’s Concerts” (1958–1973) that demonstrated the sounds of the various orchestral
instruments and explained basic music principles to young audiences, as well as his
Harvardian Lectures. He died on October 14, 1990, in New York City, USA.

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PHILLIP GLASS (1937)
He is one of the Avant-Garde composers who also
explored the areas of ballet, opera, theatre, film, and even
television jingles. His style of music was criticized as
uneventful and shallow because of its application to new
sound yet effective and compelling style.
He was born in New York, USA of Jewish parents,
and learned violin and flute at the age of 15. He was inspired
by a renowned Indian satirist Ravi Shankar, and assisted
the recording soundtrack for Conrad Rooks film Chappaqua.
He produced and formed ensemble works such as Music in Similar Motion (1969),
Music in Changing Paris (1970). He has several achievements in the light of music, are
the following three operas:

Einstein on the Beach (1976)

 Collaborated with Robert Wilson in conceptualizing and produce
four-hour opera and instantly sold –out during the play at New York
Metropolitan Opera House
Satyagraha (1980) and Akhnaten (1984)
 Based on the lives of the prominent people in the world like
Mahatma Gandhi, Leo Tolstoy, Martin Luther King, and Egyptian
pharaoh.
In this time, he combined the overlapping style of composition blended with a
repetitive signature in the grandeur on stage. He obtained 170 compositions and now
living in Nova Scotia, Canada, and New York, USA.

3. MODERN NATIONALISM
Nationalistic composers and musical innovators were misled in the 20th century
music development combined with modern techniques with folk materials. Prominent
Russian composers like Bela Bartok and Sergei Prokofieff who were the neoclassicist
infused classical techniques crossing rhythms and shifting meters. They made
extensive use of polytonality that uses two or more tonal centers simultaneously.
In Russia, five highly considered gifted individuals that infused chromatic
harmony, incorporated with Russian folk music, liturgical chants in their thematic
materials namely Modest Mussorgsky, Mili Balakirev, Alexander Borodin, Cesar Cui,
and Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov. Furthermore, Erik Satie, a French composer who gave a
colorful figure in the early 20th century, specifically avant-garde and modern
nationalism.

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Activity 1.1: I FILL IN LOVE WITH MUSIC!
Directions: Fill in the table below to complete the 20th Century Composer’s Timeline.

Name of Composer Year Noted Accomplishment

Claude Debussy His creative style was characterized by
his unique approach to the various
musical elements.
1875 – 1937 The harmonic progressions and
modulations of his works are musically
satisfying, pleasantly dissonant, and
elegantly sophisticated.
Arnold Schoenberg 1874 - 1951
Igor Stravinsky His works featured shifting rhythms and
polytonality, also has a new level of
dissonance was reached a sense of
tonality was abandoned.
1881 – 1945 He utilized changing meters and strong
syncopations in his compositions and
have rich melodies and lively rhythms
Sergei Prokofieff 1891 – 1953

1899 – 1963 His compositions had a cooly elegant

modernity, tempered by a classical sense
of proportion.
George Gershwin He is a cross-over artist because his
serious compositions remain highly
popular in the classical repertoire.
Leonard Bernstein 1918 – 1990
Philip Glass He explored the territories of ballet,
opera, theater, film and television jingles.

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Activity 1.2: MATCH ME!
Directions: Match column A with column B. Write the letter of the correct answer on the
blank provided before each number.
A B

___ 1. Claire de Lune A. Claude Debussy

___ 2. Tonight from Westside Story B. Igor Stravinsky
___ 3. Verklarte Nacht C. Leonard Bernstein
___ 4. AN American in Paris D. Sergei Prokofieff
___ 5. The Rite of Spring E. George Gershwin
___ 6. Allegro F. Bela Bartok
___ 7. Romeo and Juliet G. Arnold Schoenberg
___8. Petrouchka
H. Joseph Maurice Ravel
___9. La Mer
I. Francis Poulenc
___10. Mirroirs (mirrors)
J. Philip Glass
K.

Activity 1.3: CONCEPT MAP!

Directions: Fill in the boxes below to complete the concept map. Write the musical
compositions made by the given composer.

1. Igor Stravinsky is a composer of Neoclassicism who is known for his unique style.
2. The captivating sounds of the environment are revealed by Impressionistic music.
3. One of the creative composers who used folk music in his compositions is Bela
Bartok.
4. Claude Debussy is known for his unique style as an impressionistic composer.
5. Arnold Schoenberg is one of the most favorite expressionistic composers in his
time.
6. Leonard Bernstein is one of the Avant Garde from the United States who was
renowned for his stage musical and his music lectures for young people.

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7. George Gershwin is a true “crossover artist”, and he was considered as the
“Father of American jazz” in the sense that his serious compositions remain highly
popular in the classical repertoire.

Directions: Fill in the missing blanks to complete the sentence.

The music of the 20th century unlocks the difficulty and opens the doors of
making composition of several composers.

1. The music of the 20th century comprises musical movement with distinctive styles.
These are the _____________, _______________, __________, _____________, and
_______________.
2. Most of the impressionist works concentrate on nature and its
,______________,________________,________________.
3. Joseph Maurice Ravel has several works which deal with water in its flowing or
stormy ___________ as well as human______________.
4. These two major proponents of Impressionism namely_____________________ and
______________________work sound quite similar in terms of their harmonic and
textual characteristics.
5. Romeo and Juliet (ballet) and War and Peace (opera) are the works of
____________.
6. Francis Poulenc was one of the members of the Les Six group, among the others
are_______________and _____________.

Assessment

Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write the chosen letter on a
separate sheet of paper.
1. Which of the following music characterize its works centered on nature and its
beauty, likeness and brilliance?
A. Impressionism C. Neoclassicism
B. Expressionism D. Minimalism
2. Which movement of music characterizes the composer’s mind, instead of
presenting an impression of the environment?
A. Impressionism C. Neoclassicism
B. Expressionism D. Minimalism
3. Which musical style deals with the parameters of sound in space with an
absence of traditional rules on harmony, melody, and rhythm?
A. Impressionism C. Modern nationalism
B. Expressionism D. Avant-grade
4. Which type of musical style that has a freer seven-note diatonic scale?
A. Neoclassicism C. Avant-Garde
B. Primitivism D. Modern Nationalism

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5. Which music of the 20th century seeks to combine modern techniques focusing
on nationalist composers and innovators?
A. Neo-classicism C. Avant-Garde
B. Primitivism D. Modern Nationalism
6. Who was the proponent of Claire de Lune and the foremost impressionist
composer?
A. Joseph Maurice Ravel C. Claude Debussy
B. Arnold Schoenberg D. Claude Monet
7. Which of the following countries Claude Debussy was born?
A. Germany B. Italy C. France D. Sweden
8. Which of the following composers created a system of pitch organization based
on the chromatic pitches called twelve tone series?
A. Arnold Schoenberg C. Claude Monet
B. Joseph Maurice Ravel D. Claude Debussy
9. Who among the proponents of the Neoclassicism is considered as a great
trendsetter of the 20th century?
A. Claude Debussy C. Joseph Maurice Ravel
B. Igor Stravinsky D. Arnold Schoenberg
10. Which of the following works of Arnold Schoenberg is considered as one of
his earliest successful pieces?
A. Verklarte Natch (Three Pieces for Piano, op.11) C. Gurreleider
B. Pierrot Lunaire D. Verklarte Natch (Transfigured Night, 1899)

11. Who among the following composers was born to musical parents and died on
September 26, 1945, in New York City?
A. Bela Bartok C. Igor Stravinsky
B. Sergei Prokofieff D. George Gershwin
12. Which of the following is NOT the work of Bela Bartok?
A. Six String Quartet C. Allegro Barbaro
B. Concerto for Orchestra D. The Rite of Spring
13. How many years did the Mikrokosmos as one of the exceptional works of
Bartok?
A. 12 B.13 C.14 D.15
14. Which of the following composers combined the Neoclassicism, modern
nationalism and Avant-Garde musical style?
A. Bela Bartok C. Igor Stravinsky
B. Sergei Prokofieff D. George Gershwin
15. Which of the following compositions of Sergei Prokofieff is intended for children?
A. Romeo and Juliet C. Peter and Wolf
B. War and Peac D. Song of the Bagpipe

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Directions: Read the statements related to movement style in music. In the spaces
provided, write T if the statement is true, and F if the statement is false.
1. ______ Twentieth century music has adopted the sounds of the modern period
which include synthesizers, electronics and computers.

2. ______ Impressionism comprises styles and ideas, especially those that are
decidedly unconventional.
3. ______ Impressionistic style in music makes use of dissonant.

4. ______ Expressionistic music is attributed to Claude Debussy.

5. ______ Modern nationalistic music is light, entertaining and independent of its
emotional content.

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