Enjoyment of Music, Ess. Listening Ed. 4th Ed.

1. PRELUDE 7
Beyond Modernism?
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Postmodernism in art and literature
popular elements, quotation, and traditional
elements
1950s and 1960s, abstract expressionism:
nonobjective painting
• Robert Motherwell, Jackson Pollock
Pop art: themes from modern urban life
Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg
Literature: Kurt Vonnegut, Maya Angelou, Toni
Morrison, Amy Tan
Prelude 7 Beyond Modernism?

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Postmodernism in music
Chance (aleatoric) music: stresses intuition, change, and
improvisation
Globalization of society: non-Western music
Composers: Still, Copland, Revueltas, Gershwin
Multimedia and performance art: combines visual, aural,
spoken, and dramatic modes

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“I have been waiting a long time for electronics to free music from the tempered scale
and limitations of musical instruments. Electronic instruments are the portentous first
step toward the liberation of music.” —Edgard Varèse
• Two technological trends in the late 1940s and early 1950s:
• Musique concrete
– Paris
– Pierre Schaeffer
• Tape music
New Technologies: Electronic Music

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• Cologne, Germany
• Herbert Eimert
• Karlheinz Stockhausen
• Oscillator (electronic waveform generator)
– waveform manipulation
• Synthesizer
Technology and Music Electronische Musik

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 1
I. The Postmodern Turn
A. Mid-twentieth-century departures
1. search for new means of expression
2. increasing social turmoil: violent experimentation
3. popular elements introduced
4. combinative techniques emphasized
5. revival of traditional, classical elements
6. highbrow or lowbrow: equal potential for greatness

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 2
B. Art, Film, Literature
1. architecture, painting, sculpture
a. neo-eclectic approach in architecture
b. abstract expressionism in painting, 1950s and 60s
c. pop art: themes from modern urban life
d. pluralistic approach to gender, sexual orientation,
ethnicity
e. collage; quotation from literary, musical, or visual
source

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 3

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 4
2. trends in film
a. “new wave” movement, 1950s and 60s
b. homage to Italian spaghetti western, Kung Fu
movies
c. genre-bending
d. visual collage
3. literature: Kurt Vonnegut, Maya Angelou, Margaret
Atwood, Toni Morrison, Amy Tan, J. K. Rowling, George R.
R. Martin

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 5

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 6

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 7

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 8
C. Postmodernism in Music
1. postmodern: definition is elusive; freer forms and
procedures
a. chance (aleatoric) music: stresses intuition,
change, and improvisation
b. elite and popular music: shrinking distinctions
c. impact of globalization of society; expression
drawn from non-Western music
d. Multimedia and performance art: combines visual,
aural, spoken, and dramatic modes

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 9

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 10
D. New technologies
1. refinement of recording and playback technologies
2. advent of electronic music, late 1940s and early 50s
a. musique concrète, Paris, France: sounds from
natural sources recorded and manipulated
b. Elektronische Musik, Cologne, Germany: only
electronically produced sounds

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 11

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 12
3. Moog synthesizer commercially available in 1960s
4. Yamaha DX7, unveiled in 1983; adoption of Musical
Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)
5. digital sampling synthesizers more affordable in mid-
1980s
6. collage and quotation: juxtaposing or overlapping
fragments of music

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The Postmodern Turn, Part 13

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The Postmodern Turn , Part 14

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Credits
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