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.
Madrigal auf einen Text von Max Dauthenday
for: Mixed choir (5 parts) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 115139
2 Sätze aus "Liturgische Sätze über altevangelische Kyrie- und Gloriaweisen" op. 13 (1933/35)
for: Frauenchor (SA)
Choir score
Item no.: 114876
Chorlied auf ein Gedicht von Matthias Claudius
for: Sopran solo, Gemischter Chor (SATB)
Choir score
Item no.: 114779
Motetto
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 114778
set of string parts
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 1212329
set of wind parts
for: Symphonic orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 1212324
Boosey Choral Music Experience
for: Mixed Choir and Piano
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1212300
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1212287
Elektra - Der Rosenkavalier
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 1212268
TV, Film, Musical und Show
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Book
Item no.: 1212259
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1212255
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1212208
for: Mixed Choir and Piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1212198
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 1212195
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1212164
Sudien und Übungen
for: Violin II
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1212057
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1212042
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1211995
TV, Film, Musical und Show
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Book
Item no.: 1211910
"Sumer is icumen in"
for: gemischter Chor (STBar) und Instrumente
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 293585
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 310165
für Streichquintett
for: 2 violins, 2 violas, cello
Study score
Item no.: 310132
für Streichtrio
for: VL VA KB
Study score
Item no.: 309956
für Streichquartett
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 309927
Heftausgabe
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 306929
Drei Gesänge für Sopran und Orgel
for: Voice (soprano), organ
Score
Item no.: 306782
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 306718
für Streicher u. Klavier
for: 2 violins, viola, cello, piano (piano quintet)
Item no.: 306632
für Flöte, Oboe, Bassklarinette, Fagott, 2 Violinen, Viola und Violoncello
for: FL OB BASS-KLAR FAG 2 VL VA VC
Stimmen-Set
Item no.: 306597
rev. von Hannes Heher, für Streichquartett
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score
Item no.: 306333
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 306311
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 306281
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 306159
Dos Piezas Para Piano
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1204155
op. 60
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 1546252
March
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 898245
for: Treble Choir [SSA] a Cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 896365
Bericht und Bildnis in drei Teilen
Lyric book
Item no.: 199234
for: Soloist (baritone), male choir (Bar), orchestra, organ
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 370883
for: Viola, piano
Single part Viola
Item no.: 425931
for: Viola
Music score
Item no.: 101698
for: Voice (high), piano
Item no.: 100448
"Aus der Tiefe rufe ich, Herr, zu dir" - Motette
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 111441
for: Organ
Single part Organ
Item no.: 305577
for: Piano
Item no.: 305532
für Oboe oder Fagott, Streichorchester und Harfe (Set) (Set)
for: OB FAG HA STR
Stimmen-Set
Item no.: 307992
for: Wind instruments
Set of parts
Item no.: 307890
aus "Die lustige Witwe"
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 307292