20 th Century Composers Andrew Ge <- not a composer

Igor Stravinsky ( ) Famous ballets include The Firebird and Petrushka Most famous (and controversial work): The Rite of Spring Led to riots Later composed Symphony of Psalms One opera: The Rake’s Progress Abstract ballet: Agon

Arnold Schoenberg ( ) Pioneered the twelve tone system (used all parts of chromatic) Influenced by Wagner and Strauss (see Transfigured Night) “Sprechstimme” (between singing and speaking): Pierrot lunaire Fled from Nazis, composed A Survivor from Warsaw Unfinished opera: Moses und Aron

Benjamin Britten ( ) Revived opera in the UK, see Peter Grimes Breakthrough piece was Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge Founded Aldeburgh Festival of Music Also wrote The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra & War Requiem

Aaron Copland ( ) First pieces were Organ Symphony and Music for the Theater Simpler themes included Billy the Kid, Rodeo, Appalachian Spring Appalachian Spring included “Simple Gifts” Third Symphony contained Fanfare for the Common Man Lincoln Portrait included excerpts of Lincoln’s writing

Sergei Prokofiev ( ) Wrote seven symphonies, most famous was the 1 st one Opera: The Love for Three Oranges Ballet: The Prodigal Son Peter and the Wolf, film score of Alexander Nevsky

Dmitri Shostakovich ( ) mah boy Work represented Soviet regime and struggles of oppression Operas included The Nose, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District Reprimanded by Stalin, wrote Fifth, Seventh, and Twelfth symphonies Thirteenth Symphony condemned anti-Semitism Also wrote a baller cello concerto for Rostropovich (two actually)

Béla Bartók ( ) Often based work on peasant tunes of Hungary Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, The Wooden Prince, The Miraculous Mandarin Refused to teach composition Also wrote six string quartets, Mikrokosmos

Charles Ives ( ) Was an insurance salesman, but composed in private Second Piano (Concord) Sonata, Three Places in New England Third Symphony won a Pulitzer Prize

Maurice Ravel ( ) Bolero was his most popular piece (even though it’s boring) Student of Faure - Pavane for a Dead Princess Ballet: Daphnis et Chloe Also wrote Mother Goose and La Valse Also re-wrote Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition for orchestra

George Gershwin ( ) Fame began in musicals and pop songs Melded jazz with classical: Rhapsody in Blue (Fantasia is awesome) Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra Porgy and Bess First Pulitzer Prize for Drama: Of Thee I Sing An American in Paris is also fun

John Cage ( ) Student of Schoenberg Proponent of avant-garde Believed in chance (aleatory) music Imaginary Landscape No. 4 – used 12 radios tuned to random stations 4’ 33” is, imho, the least musical piece of music ever. Apparently silence is now music. Created prepared piano, attaching screws, wood, rubber bands, etc. to a piano to create percussion sounds

Ralph Vaughan Williams ( ) Revived Tudor and folk traditions of English music Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Has a really cool double orchestra Nine symphonies: most famous was Second(London) Also: First(Sea), Third(Pastoral), Seventh(sinfonia Antarctica) The Lark Ascending was based on a George Meredith Poem Sir John in Love – Shakespearean opera Other operas: Hugh the Drover, The Pilgrim’s Progress

Sergei Rachmaninoff ( ) Also a pianist and conductor Didn’t get money for his early pieces (e.g. C-Sharp Minor Prelude) Second Piano Concerto – nicknamed Rocky II Symphonic poem: The Isle of the Dead One piece completed in the US: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini