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.
for: 2 voices (SS), organ
Item no.: 582669
for: Accordion orchestra
Single part Accordion 2, 4
Item no.: 221021
for: Piano
Single edition
Item no.: 405454
Per Ottavino/Flauto E Clavicembalo
for: Flute, piano
Score
Item no.: 388646
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 389487
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: String orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 393081
for: SAX ENSEMBLE SCHLAGZ
Score
Item no.: 393032
for: Piano 4 hands
Score
Item no.: 107230
for: FL OB KLAR BASS-KLAR HRN FAG TRP PERC VL VA VC KB
Score
Item no.: 418830
for: Violin, piano
Score, Parts
Item no.: 420166
for: Organ
Score
Item no.: 420140
for: Organ
Item no.: 104923
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 412867
Drame symphonique en 3 parties
for: Piano 4 hands
Score
Item no.: 412837
for: Clarinet [2 Clarinets] and Piano
Score
Item no.: 412762
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 412755
for: Duet
Score
Item no.: 412713
Klassik
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 412648
Klassik
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 412457
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 412450
Transcription Pour Piano
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 412446
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 412443
Sudien und Übungen
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 412405
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 412389
for: Violin, piano
Score
Item no.: 411636
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 411332
La Souris en Papier mâché (The Papier mâché Mouse)
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 411256
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 411114
Klassik
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 410941
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 412326
for: Percussion instruments
Score
Item no.: 412187
Klassik
for: Choir
Score
Item no.: 412162
Solo-Konzert
for: Violin, piano
Score
Item no.: 412136
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 411946
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 411802
for: Piano 4 hands
Score
Item no.: 411754
for: Piano 4 hands
Score
Item no.: 411752
for: Piano 4 hands
Score
Item no.: 411746
for: Piano
Item no.: 134817
aus "Der Graf von Luxemburg"
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 134381
Klassik
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 158471
for: Clarinet, piano
Item no.: 293752
for: 4 GIT / PART ST
Score, Parts
Item no.: 293385
for: Singstimme, Orgel / Harmonium
Item no.: 279087
Preciosa
Single part Violin obligato
Item no.: 268917
Parti Coro-Choral Part
for: Vocal Soloists, Choir and Chamber Ensemble
Score
Item no.: 260361
Per Voce E Pianoforte
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 257820
Klassik
for: Male Voices a Cappella
Set of parts
Item no.: 257819