Music 271: 4/20/07 II: American Neo-Classicism concluded: Copland’s Piano Variations and beyond: • Copland, Elliot Carter were all Neo-Classic composers • Rhythmic aspects of early jazz (ragtime) till the 1920s • Tonal, clear textures: these all can be heard in Copland’s Piano Variations • Schönberg is a Neo-classical composers who uses serial harmony III: The Experimentalists (Ultra-modernists): Rejection of both post-Romanticism and Neo-Classicism: A: Henry Cowell and The Banshee (1925): • Neo-Classicism “Attempt to reduplicate a bygone style” • Introduced a new agenda: quest for new sonorities and timbres • The strumming of the piano strings become the new timbres B: Edgard Varese and Ionisation (1933): • Neo-Classicism is “Zealously academic” • Percussion is another source of new timbres and sonorities • Began the percussion ensemble tradition: was the first new piece that wasn’t transcribed from another source C: John Cage: • Inspired by Varese, composed works for percussion ensemble, solo percussion (brake drums) • “Discovered sounds” • The father of prepared piano works (after WWII) • New direction of experimentalism: pre-recorded sounds (Magnetic tape) • Magnetic tape could be edited • William’s Mix (1952) IV: George Crumb: A disciple of the Experimentalist as well as a multi-culturalist: A: Crumb’s inspiration: 4 musical domains: 1. European Art Music: 2. American vernacular music: 3. The fusions of folk traditions in WV: 4. Elements of African, Indian, and Japanese music: • Highly individual style B: Ancient Voices of Children for soprano and mixed chamber ensemble (1970): poetry by Federico Garcia Lorca: • Oboe, percussion, piano, musical saw, harp