1. Musical Modernism & The Crisis of Tonality

3. I. Modernism (Background): A. Wright’s Take on Modernism: An Anti-Romantic Movement An Age of Extremes A Time of Radical Experimentation

4. B. Examples of Modernism in the Visual Arts

5. Angular, stark, assertive

6. Fragmented

7. Distorted, Abstract

8. Angular, harsh

9. Lean, lacking lushness or ornament

10. Hard-edged, objective

11. II. Musical Modernism (general features: see Wright) A.Melodies: frequent large leaps; (angular, stark) B. Harmony: much more dissonance (harsh) C. Rhythms: More complex, irregular, (fragmented) D. Tone color: extreme registers, often percussive, even ugly (hard-edged) E. Aesthetics: explore formal/mathematical possibilities rather than evoke emotion (objective, abstract)

12. III. Crisis A. Brave New World: Atonality B. Retreat: Late Romanticism or Post-Romanticism C. Alternative Lifestyle: New Scales D. Anarchy: Ives and the American Experimental Tradition E. Transform Conventions: Polychords & Polytonality

13. “Crisis” = Collapse or Depletion of Tonality

14. Maurice Ravel, La valse