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 flutes (duet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1340939
From The Ballet Romeo and Julliette
for: Violin, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 922438
for: Organ Duet
Score
Item no.: 990234
Sechs Sonaten für Harmonium
for: Harmonium
Book
Item no.: 990217
Nr. 5 Flieder
for: High Vocal [Soprano] and Piano
Book
Item no.: 911907
Selected from the Fitzewilliam Virginal Book
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 911132
for: Men's Choir [TB] oder Female Choir [SA] and Piano
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 910501
Kendor Concert String Orchestra
for: String Orchestra with opt. percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 935715
Acht Motetten
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 989476
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Score
Item no.: 909803
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 908878
The Chester Miracle Play
for: Soli [ABarB], Narrator, Children's Choir and Instruments
Score
Item no.: 907959
Stimmensatz (3-3-2-2-1)
for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 1199415
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1349782
op. 92
for: Flöte und 2 Violinen
Set of parts
Item no.: 1539087
op. 29
for: Cello, piano
Item no.: 1208093
for: 2 accordions (duet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1208029
Suite für Orchester
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1211579
for: Horn, piano
Item no.: 621035
A theatrical caprice in one act
for: Solo voices, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1633842
Vereinfachte Klavierbegleitung
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1610641
Szenen 4 und 5
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1589023
op. 12
for: Piano 4 hands
Item no.: 1586331
From Op. 11op. 11
for: 2 guitars
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1618398
arranged for Concert Band from the original Theater Ochestra Version
for: Concert band
Score
Item no.: 1618848
for: Violin, cello, piano (piano trio)
Item no.: 104470
Sz 102
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 1690688
Direktion
Direktion
Item no.: 1626822
for: Concert band
Conductors part
Item no.: 1626671
Version for Jazz-ensemble
for: Jazz-Ensemble
Study score
Item no.: 757077
Erstausgabe
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 750841
from Petrushka
for: Flute, piano
Music score
Item no.: 744634
For Flute and Piano
for: Flute, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1619478
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1620540
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1385328
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1382256
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1383385
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1383220
for: Horn, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1383120
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1383043
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1383022
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1382981
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1382816
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1384001
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1384000
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1383746
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1384795
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1384659