Expressionism, Impressionism, Serialism, and Minimalism

Expressionism is comprised of:

• A high level of dissonance
• Extreme contrasts of dynamics
• Constantly changing textures
• ‘Distorted’ melodies and harmonies
• Angular melodies with wide leaps

e.g. This piece, which is comprised almost entirely of dissonances, and does not seem to have a tonal centre. It also incorporates many different dynamics (e.g. it is roughly pp at 0:25 and roughly ff at 1:25, with many dynamic levels in between those). It also changes texture a lot, for example having only a solo violin at 1:56 and having the full ensemble playing at 1:25. Finally there are many large intervals within melodies in the piece.

Minimalism is comprised of:

• Layers of ostinati
• Constantly repeated patterns that are subjected to gradual changes
• Layered textures
• Interlocking repeated phrases and rhythms
• Diatonic harmony

e.g. This piece, which has very clear ostinati played by the marimbas, with each one having a slightly different part. As the piece progresses, we can also hear that these parts change very slightly, so that the end is nothing like the beginning of the piece. This of course creates a very multilayered texture. The harmony in the piece seems to be major (a type of diatonic harmony).

Impressionism is comprised of:

• A focus on suggestion and atmosphere rather than strong emotion or the depiction of a story- as in programme music
• Lots of use of the major and minor scale system, but tends to make more use of dissonance and more uncommon scales such as the whole tone scale
• Short forms e.g. Preludes and Nocturnes
• Static harmony
• Emphasis on timbre
• Ornamentation obscuring melodies

e.g. This piece, which I play. (Although I do not particularly like Ravel's way of playing it, it is the most reliable recording one can listen to for how it should be played). The piece is highly atmospheric, suggesting the 'sad birds' very strongly, without really depicting a story for them (although I imagine birds being subtly tormented by their situation in a hot, dense forest, and then at 0:41 being disturbed by something, and eventually being scared out of their tree, before returning to it, slightly shaken), the story is more about atmosphere than really specific occurrences. We can also hear a wide use of dissonances throughout the piece. The harmony in this piece is not static, however, but rather the piece has quite a rapid harmonic rhythm. Finally there is a lot of use of ornamentation, as it is birds being depicted, in particular acciaccaturas and appoggiaturas. 

Serialism is comprised of:

• 'Twelve-tone technique'- using the 12 notes of the chromatic scale, forming a row or series and providing a unifying basis for a composition's melody, harmony, structural progressions, and variations.
• Integral serialism or Total serialism is the use of series for aspects such as duration, dynamics, and register as well as pitch

e.g. This piece, which clearly uses just 12 tones in a series. I believe that it is also Integral Serialism, as dynamics are used in a specific and ordered way. 

Stravinsky-The Rite of Spring Comparison

	Texture	Melody	Harmony	Rhythm
Beginning	No one texture lasts more than a few bars, homophony, polyphony, and monophony all used.	Clear melody in Fagotti part, which is then taken over at a different pitch by the Cor Anglais, and then the two have a dialogue with these melodies being elaborated on. Clear countermelodies e.g. in Horn and Clarinet parts	Clear harmonies, due to the simple textures	Lots of triplets, quintuplets etc. Cross rhythms.
Ending	Complex polyphony, with only a break during the rests at the end. Also homophony in figure 201, for the chord and also the ascending chromatic scales.	In almost all parts except timpani. Ascending chromatic scale at the end could be seen as a melody.	Unclear, due to the very complex polyphony. Heavily dissonant.	Driving ostinato-like rhythm in almost all parts, and syncopation created by the timpani part in particular.

Rossini, Petite Messe Solenelle- Prelude Religieux

This movement from our set work is, as the title indicates, a prelude. That means that it is like an introduction to something more significant.
The piece opens with a series of chords that have a rhythm like a funeral march, which is emphasised by the fact that the key here is F# minor, creating a solemn atmosphere. In bar 17 however, the meter changes to 3/4, and introduces the fugal subject (in C# major) in the piano left hand. This sequences, moving the part upwards. This exposition of the subject is then answered in the piano right hand, and in bar 33 is presented again by the soprano voice. Bar 41 marks the beginning of the episode with ascending scale patterns; the left hand imitating the right hand. This passage is then transposed up a 4th.   In bar 47 there is a motif in the piano part that seems to mimic the exposition section in bar 17. In bar 59, there is an ascending sequence, that is similar to the one in bars 41-46, except that the main part is the soprano voice. In bar 69 we get the beginning of the "re-exposition" and the subject from the bass in bar 17 is played again, transposed down a 5th. This is answered by the soprano part in bar 77. At bar 85, the soprano has a similar sequence to that at bar 41. There are many places where parts are repeated, for example bar 91 is similar to bar 47, bar 101 to bar 57, and bar 103, to bar 59. In bar 119, there is a chromatic passage that descends (although the contour of each bar means that it is not a perfect chromatic descent). There is then harmonic instability until F# minor is re-established in bar 139, because we get the tonic and dominant (139 and 141) played. At bar 141, the right hand is similar to the 'head' of the subject. This continues on until the key becomes F# major (the parallel key) at bar 145. The movements ends with very similar material to that of the beginning, in order to round it off. It ends in F# major.
After the movement, there is a tiny Ritornello that brings the key back to C major, for the Sanctus movement.