Help me study for my Music Theory class. I’m stuck and don’t understand.

The 20th Century ushered in a period of drastic experimentation in classical music. 20th-century music is defined by new, innovative approaches to tone and instrumentation, as much as it is by composers and musicians seeking the most melodious, comforting music possible to try to express human emotion and meaning in a fast-changing and increasingly mechanized world.

The 20th century saw the establishment of Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis, two world wars, huge social change, the invention of nuclear power, political upheaval, the birth of space exploration, and the inauguration and proliferation of early digital technology. Music could do nothing but respond to all of this – whether consciously, or otherwise.

Assignment:

Select one piece from Module 13 for your discussion

Research the context of this piece (who, what, where, when, why)

Discuss the significance of this piece in context to what was occurring in the world at the time.

Identify places in the piece (time stamp/measure numbers) that represent innovative 20th Century approaches to music making. Be specific in your musical description and explain why these innovations are different than what was happening in music prior to the 20th. Century.

Compare your selected piece to any contemporary music. Find common music elements or approaches between the two pieces.

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