The classical modern period, 1900-1945, saw a great deal of cultural change, and many different composers helped shape the musical landscape of the early 20th century. Browse our sheet music and scores, take a look at our Classical Modern Sheet Music Downloads, and explore the wide world of classical modernism with Stretta Music today
The horrors of World War I brought about such a shift in perspective, that art would never be the same again. The cultural and social changes that had already begun at the end of the 19th century led to new prospects, which were mirrored and expressed through various innovative artistic movements, them sum of which is called Classic Modernism.
During the 20th century, the boundaries of tonality were stretched so far that one could no longer speak of tonal music. The most striking examples of this are polytonality, employed by composers like Igor Stravinsky, Béla Bartók, and Charles Ives, and to an even greater extent serialism, the twelve-tone music of Arnold Schönberg and his students.
The rise of nationalism in the late 19th century sparked a great interest in rediscovering folk music. New technical developments, such as the invention of the phonograph, also made it easier to document and collect folk music. Great folk Pioneers were the Romanian composer Béla Bartók, the Czech composer Leo Janáček, the Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály, and the Australian-American composer Percy Grainger.
This development led to a new idiom within classical music, both melodically and rhythmically. Good examples of the integration of folklore into classical modern music are the melodies from Janáček’s Jenufa, which are based on the rhythm and intonation of the Czech language, and Bartók’s Second Violin Rhapsody.
Expressionists aimed to capture true emotions without glossing over them. Above all, they looked at the subjective inner world, in contrast to the outer world, and left all traditional ideals of beauty behind.
Expressionist music is characterised by dissonance, extreme dynamics and great contrasts in colour, pitch and effect. In music, expressionism is generally associated with the Second Viennese School, founded by Arnold Schönberg and his students Anton Webern and Alban Berg, and the dodecaphonic, twelve-tone technique they used, known as serialism.
Examples of expressionist music include Schönberg’s Erwartung, 1909, and Berg’s Wozzeck, 1922.
Another classical modern departure from the ideals of the Romantic Period was to draw on forms and tropes of the Baroque Period and the Classical Period. This was expressed in the use of traditional musical forms, as in Martinů’s Concerto da Camara, 1937, the use of traditional instrumentation, as in Manuel de Falla’s Concerto for Harpsichord, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet & Cello, 1926, and also in the use of thematic material from the 18th and 19th centuries, such as in Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, 1920.
Piano reduction
Item no.: 420026
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 457379
Orff-Schulwerk
for: Kinderchor (SMezA) mit Soli, Sprecher und Instrumenten
Einzelstimme Blockflöte
Item no.: 729205
4st Männerchor
Europäische Weihnachtslieder für 4st. Männerchor
Item no.: 120159
"Nacht, mehr denn lichte Nacht"GeWV 36
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 183718
Nr. 6 Die heiligen drei Könige aus dem Morgenland
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Item no.: 174661
Drei spanische Weihnachtslieder (1952); 1. Pastorcito Santo (Holy Shepherd Bay)
for: Voice (medium), piano
Item no.: 354505
In Freezing Winter Night
for: Children's Choir [Female Choir] [SSS] and Harp [Piano]
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 498361
über das Lied "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht", für gem. Chor, Orgel, 2 Melodieinstr ad lib
for: Choir
Choir part Soprano
Item no.: 308276
Klassik
for: Choir
Score
Item no.: 851626
Fantasy On Old Carols
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1060774
Kantate nach einem französischen Weihnachtslied
for: Frauenchor (SSAA) mit Sopran-Solo und Streichquintett
Single part Cello
Item no.: 741490
op. 54
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) mit Soli (STB) und Streichorchester; Flöte und Cembalo ad libitum
Single part Harpsichord
Item no.: 730090
op. 54
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) mit Soli (STB) und Streichorchester; Flöte und Cembalo ad libitum
Single part Double bass
Item no.: 730086
kleine Weihnachtskantate
for: Viola
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 230494
op. 54
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) mit Soli (STB) und Streichorchester; Flöte und Cembalo ad libitum
Single part Violin 1
Item no.: 752326
Choralkantate
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), chamber ensemble
Single part Bassoon 1, 2
Item no.: 695776
Magnificat
for: Cello
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 231041
kleine Weihnachtskantate
for: Gemischter Chor (SSAM), Orchester (Flöte, Oboe, Fagott, 2 Violinen, Viola, Kontrabass, Cembalo)
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 230495
Kantate nach einem französischen Weihnachtslied
for: Frauenchor (SSAA) mit Sopran-Solo und Streichquintett
Single part Double bass
Item no.: 243235
Choralkantate
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), chamber ensemble
Single part Oboe
Item no.: 695781
Abendsegen und Traumpantomime aus der Oper "Hänsel und Gretel"
for: Symphonic orchestra
Single part Viola
Item no.: 725277
Choralkantate
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), chamber ensemble
Single part Viola
Item no.: 695777
Choralkantate
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), chamber ensemble
Single part Flute
Item no.: 695778
kleine Weihnachtskantate
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 230493
for: Double bass
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 230838
Abendsegen und Traumpantomime aus der Oper "Hänsel und Gretel"
for: Symphonic orchestra
Single part Cello
Item no.: 731816
op. 54
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) mit Soli (STB) und Streichorchester; Flöte und Cembalo ad libitum
Single part Flute
Item no.: 737682
for: Cello
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 230837
Kantate nach einem französischen Weihnachtslied
for: Frauenchor (SSAA) mit Sopran-Solo und Streichquintett
Single part Cello
Item no.: 185257
op. 54
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) mit Soli (STB) und Streichorchester; Flöte und Cembalo ad libitum
Single part Cello
Item no.: 730081
op. 54
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) mit Soli (STB) und Streichorchester; Flöte und Cembalo ad libitum
Single part Violin 2
Item no.: 737823
Kantate nach einem französischen Weihnachtslied
for: Frauenchor (SSAA) mit Sopran-Solo und Streichquintett
Single part Violin 2
Item no.: 185255
Orff-Schulwerk
for: Kinderchor (SMezA) mit Soli, Sprecher und Instrumenten
Single part for mallets
Item no.: 729212
Kantate nach einem französischen Weihnachtslied
for: Frauenchor (SSAA) mit Sopran-Solo und Streichquintett
Single part Viola
Item no.: 727203
op. 54
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) mit Soli (STB) und Streichorchester; Flöte und Cembalo ad libitum
Single part Viola
Item no.: 744557
über das Lied "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht", für gem. Chor, Orgel, 2 Melodieinstr ad lib
for: GCH ORG (2)
Single part(n)
Item no.: 307647
Worte eines französischen Weihnachtsliedes
for: Frauenchor (SSAA) mit Sopran-Solo und Streichquintett
Single part Violin 1
Item no.: 1650943
kleine Weihnachtskantate
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 230492
Choralkantate
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), chamber ensemble
Single part Double bass
Item no.: 695780
Galopp für Zupforchester
for: Mandolin orchestra
Single part Double bass
Item no.: 604759
Magnificat
for: Double bass
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 231042
for: Viola
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 230836
Kantate nach einem französischen Weihnachtslied
for: Frauenchor (SSAA) mit Sopran-Solo und Streichquintett
Single part Viola
Item no.: 185256
Choralkantate
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), chamber ensemble
Single part Violin
Item no.: 695779
for: Horn
Music lesson book
Item no.: 104900
for: Voice [choir]
Music lesson book
Item no.: 198593
Sections III and IV
for: Cello
Music lesson book
Item no.: 681877