Overview Historical Themes Musical Context Style Composers
Eras Online Middle Ages Renaissance Baroque Classical Romantic 20th Century 20th Century 1900-present
MUSICAL STYLE

  • All sounds are possible (even no sounds).
  • New instruments and the sounds of popular music have changed the soundscape of the twentieth century.
  • Contrapuntal textures prevail in art traditions. Popular traditions are centered on homophonic textures.
  • Rhythmic language can be enormously complex.
  • Melodies can be long and abstract or reduced to small gestures.
  • Any harmonic combination is possible. Composers have made use of extreme dissonance as well as microtonal intervals.
  • Form can be controlled to an almost infinite degree, or it may be the result of improvisation and chance.

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