Modern Music (1910 – Present) (Junior Cert Music): Revision Notes

Modern Music (1910 – Present)

• The modern era broke away from traditional rules of tonality and harmony.
• Several key historical events influenced modern music:
  • The Second Industrial Revolution led to mass production and new technological advancements (1870–1914).
  • World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945) deeply affected composers and their music.
  • The feminist movement fought for gender equality.
  • Major technological advancements included the invention of the microchip (1959) and the birth of the World Wide Web (1989).
• Composers experimented with new sounds, structures, and musical techniques.

• Many different styles and movements emerged, including:
  • Serialism – Used strict patterns of notes and rhythms (e.g., Arnold Schoenberg).
  • Neoclassicism – A return to Classical styles but with a modern twist (e.g., Igor Stravinsky).

Features of Modern Music:

• Breaking traditional rules – Composers experimented with new ways of writing music, rejecting classical ideas of melody, harmony, and structure.
• New rhythms – Rhythms became more complex, often combining different time signatures.
• Extreme dissonance – Composers pushed the boundaries of harmony, creating music that sounded harsh or unsettling.
• Atonality – Some composers abandoned traditional key signatures, writing music with no clear sense of "home" or tonality.
• Electronic music – The rise of synthesisers and recording technology allowed for new sounds and experimentation.
• Greater use of technology – Advances in radio, recording, and digital media made music more accessible to a wider audience.