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Gustav Mahler
-One of the first to use large instrumentation techniques used for personal expression, for instance, Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection” (1894)
-Conductor of Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic and Vienna Hofoper (now the Vienna State Opera) -
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Claude Debussy
-Innovative use of non-functional harmony and whole-tone scales, for instance, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (1894), Clair de Lune (1905).
-Associated with French Impressionism, though he disliked the label -
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Richard Strauss
-Central figure representing the beginning of modernism
-Innovative use of chromaticism and orchestration in operas Salome (1905) and Elektra (1909)
-Lived through Imperial Germany, 2 world wars and post-war Germany, supported German culture and collaborating with the Nazi regime in hopes of his music being promoted -
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Carl Nielsen
- Significant figure for Scandinavian music and adding modern orchestration techniques to traditional composing, for instance, his Symphony No. 4
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Jean Sibelius
-Well-known for being a strong supporter of Finnish nationalism, for instance Finlandia (1899/1900).
-Explored the relationship between music and nature with inspirations from Finnish landscapes and their folklore. -
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Erik Satie
-Pioneer of simplicity in music, inspiring minimalist composers. For instance, Vexations (1893), a piece that goes on for 9 hours repeating the same short theme 840 times. -
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Arnold Schoenberg
-Central figure in the development of the twelve-tone technique and sprechstimme, for instance, Pierrot Lunaire (1912), displaying atonality and serialism techniques
-A Vienna-based revolutionary, shifting from tonal music to atonality. Explored expressionism in music with his pupils, claiming to be the Second Viennese music -
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Bèla Bartók
-Integrated eastern European folk songs into classical music, besides being a folk music researcher himself, collecting thousands of folk songs from eastern Europe.
-For instance, Concerto for Orchestra (1943) -
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Igor Stravinsky
-Part of the neoclassicism and avant-garde movements, using rhythmic complexity and striking orchestration, for instance The Rite of Spring (1913) and The Firebird (1910) -
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Percy Grainger
-Known for his arrangements of traditional folk songs and his inventiveness when orchestrating, for instance, Lincolnshire Posy (1937), based on English folk songs -
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Anton Webern
-A disciple of Schoenberg, used 12-tone and serialism in his compositions, displaying short, but intense phrases and sparse textures, for instance Symphony Op. 21 (1928) -
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Alban Berg
-Blends Romanticism with atonal technique, for instance, his piece Wozzeck (1925)
-A student of Schoenberg, focused on lyricism within twelve-tone systems. -
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Irving Berlin
-Very proficient American composer and songwriter, writing memorable melodies in a simple style, for instance, God Bless America (1938) -
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Walter Piston
-Very important mentor for many American composers, his textbooks on harmony and counterpoint are very well-known.
-His Symphony No.2 is an example of his mastery over counterpoint and harmony. -
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William Grant Still
-First African-American composer to premiere his Symphony with a major orchestra with his Symphony No.1 "Afro-American" -
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Virgil Thomson
-Composed Four Saints in Three Acts (1934), with a libretto by Gertrude Stein, another opera with an entirely Black cast.
-Use of simple melodic styles influenced by hymns and folk music.
-Was a music critic that shaped public understanding of 20th-century music. -
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Howard Hanson
- Strongly promoted American music and was a crucial figure for the creation of the "american sound", for instance, his Romantic Symphony
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Roy Harris
-Incorporated American folk melodies and rural themes into symphonic music, for instance, his Symphony No. 3 -
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George Gershwin
-Brought jazz elements to the classical world, for instance, Rhapsody in Blue (1924) and Porgy and Bess (1935), which is considered to be the first opera to feature an entirely Black cast -
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Aaron Copland
-Wrote music in praise of the Wild West, with open perfect intervals and a folk influence, for instance Appalachian Spring (1944), Fanfare for the Common Man (1942).
-Avid supporter of America's populist movement. -
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Kurt Weill
-Integrated jazz and political themes into opera, for instance The threepenny opera and The rise and fall of city of Mahagonny -
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Harry Partch
-Key figure for microtonal music, for instance, Delusion of the Fury (1966)
-Created a 43-tone scale -Invented instruments such as the Cloud Chamber Bowls, the Marimba Eroica and the Chromelodeon -
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Dmitri Shostakovich
-Composed under Stalin’s regime, balancing personal expression with Soviet directives
-His music is a reflection of his rebellious attitude towards the Soviet regime, with his Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93 after Stalin's death being the peak of his rebellious journey.
-Use of ambiguous tonality, grotesque tone and constant change. Impressive use of dissonance while giving momentary illusions of tonality -
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Olivier Messiaen
-Explored modes of partial transposition, rhythmic complexity, and synesthetic associations (color connection with sound), for instance, Quartet for the End of Time (1941) and Turangalîla-Symphonie (1948).
-Use of Constant movement, but the illusion of stability.
-Use of bird song imitation
-A devout Catholic whose spirituality deeply influenced his music
-Was a prisoner in concentration camp Stalag VIII-A from 1940 to 1942 -
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Samuel Barber
-Use of dissonance and 12-tone techniques, for instance Adagio for Strings (1936) and Knoxville: Summer of 1915 (1947) -
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John Cage
-Key figure for the development of aleatoric music and prepared piano
-Set the discussion for what music is with his piece 4'33". -
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Benjamin Britten
-Combined traditional tonality with modernist dissonance
-Influenced by English folk traditions
-His relationship with homosexuality led him to write Peter Grimes (1945), which has homosexual oppression as its subtext. -
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Milton Babbitt
-Well-known for his mastery in serialism and his electronic music innovations, for instance Philomel (1964), which combined live performance with pre-recorded electronic sounds -
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Leonard Bernstein
-Connected classical music with Broadway and jazz influences, for instance, West Side Story (1957)
-Acclaimed composer and conductor, being music director of the New York Philharmonic from 1958 to 1969. -
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Iannis Xenakis
-Combined music with mathematics to create a new style
-Invented stochastic music, which uses probability and mathematical models to generate sound
-For instance, Metastaseis (1953) -
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György Ligeti
-Use of micropolyphony and cluster chords to create dense sound textures with constant micro movement, for instance Atmosphères (1961) and Requiem (1965), which were used in the film 2001: A space odyssey -
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Pierre Boulez
-Use of clusters and serialism, for instance Le Marteau sans maître (1955)
-He claimed that "any composer who had not come to terms with Schoenberg's method is useless" -
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Morton Feldman
-He called his composition "time canvases" in which he would express different set of emotions with 'hues' of music. His use of melodic dissonance and micropolyphony reminisces of Messiaen and Ligeti. For instance, Rothko Chapel (1971) which is a meditative somber chamber work inspired by Mark Rothko’s art, suicide and aftermath at the non-denominational chapel in Houston. -
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Karlheinz Stockhausen
-Use of electronic and spatial music and surround sound, for instance, Gesang der Jünglinge (1956) and Kontakte (1958–60) -
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George Crumb
-Explored extended techniques and symbolic notations, for instance, Black Angels (1970) and Ancient Voices of Children (1970) -
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Alfred Schnittke
-Use of Polystylism, merging historical and modern idioms, for instance, Concerto Grosso No. 1 (1977) and Symphony No. 1 (1974) -
Arvo Pärt
-Developed the tintinnabuli style, emphasizing purity and simplicity, for instance, Tabula Rasa (1977) and Fratres (1977) -
Terry Riley
-Use of repetitive patterns and tape loops, influencing latter electronic and ambient music, A Rainbow in Curved Air (1969)
-Key figure in the development of American minimalism. -
La Monte Young
-Crucial figure in minimalism, drone music, ambience and electronic music. For instance, The Tortoise, His Dreams and Journeys (1964), a long experimental piece emphasizing sustained tones and timelessness. -
Steve Reich
-Key figure for the development of minimalism
-Use of phasing techniques, for instance Music for 18 Musicians (1976) and It's Gonna Rain (1965) -
Philip Glass
-Another key figure of the minimalist movement
-Uses "echoes of past musical styles, but in a cosmic, vamping, repetitive way: quasi-Bachian organ solos, nondenominational church choirs, Alberti bass accompaniments swirling around like lost pages of Mozart”, for instance Einstein on the Beach (1976) -
John Adams
-Blends minimalism with traditional forms, for instance, Nixon in China (1987) and The Death of Klinghoffer (1991)
-Connects minimalism with orchestral music, composing minimalistic pieces with actual orchestral parts, for instance, Grand Pianola Music (1982) -
Brian Eno
-He was a crucial figure in ambient music and a producer for major rock and pop artists including but not limited to Talking Heads, U2, Devo, Ultravox and James.
- Ambient pieces like An Ending (Ascent) (1983) from the album Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks and his sixth studio album Ambient 1: Music for Airports (1978) are perfect examples of his work. -
Osvaldo Golijov
Merged Latin American styles with contemporary classical, for instance, La Pasión según San Marcos (2000)