About 20th-century classical music
20th-century classical music is a music genre in the 1900s. It is usually classed as a form of classical music.
Well-known performers associated with it include Igor Stravinsky, Jean Sibelius, Arnold Schoenberg, John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Nino Rota.
20th-century classical music has given rise to 1 subgenre on this site, such as New Simplicity.
From Wikipedia
20th-century classical music is Western art music that was written between 1901 and 2000, inclusive. Musical style diverged during the 20th century as it never had previously, so this century was without a dominant style. Modernism, impressionism, and post-romanticism can all be traced to the decades before the turn of the 20th century, but can be included because they evolved beyond the musical boundaries of the 19th-century styles that were part of the earlier common practice period. Neoclassicism and expressionism came mostly after 1900. Minimalism started later in the century and can be seen as a change from the modern to postmodern era, although some date postmodernism from as early as about 1930. Aleatory, atonality, serialism, musique concrète, and electronic music were all developed during the century. Jazz and ethnic folk music became important influences on many composers during this century.
Genre family tree
Parent genres (↑) and subgenres (↓) of 20th-century classical music.
Key artists
- Igor Stravinsky
- Jean Sibelius
- Arnold Schoenberg
- John Cage
- Karlheinz Stockhausen
- Nino Rota
- Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky
- Ludovico Einaudi
- Alfred Schnittke
- Manos Hatzidakis
Related genres
Opera
1600s · Europe
Chamber music
form of classical music composed for a small group of instruments
Sonata
1600s · Europe
Baroque music
1600s
Cantata
1600s
Fugue
contrapuntal musical form based on a subject that recurs in imitation
Madrigal
secular vocal music composition of the Renaissance and early Baroque e
Overture
instrumental introduction to any musical piece
Frequently asked questions
What is 20th-century classical music?
20th-century classical music is a music genre in the 1900s. It is usually classed as a form of classical music.
Where and when did 20th-century classical music originate?
20th-century classical music originated in the 1900s.
Who are famous 20th-century classical music artists?
Igor Stravinsky, Jean Sibelius, Arnold Schoenberg, John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Nino Rota.