Composition with Twelve Tones - Essay Example

? Composition with Twelve Tones Composition with Twelve Tones The composition with Twelve Tones,generally known as the ‘twelve tone technique’ is a composition of music which was formed by an Austrian musician / composer. The twelve tone / note composition is also known dodecaphony. The basic purpose of this technique was to ensure that the 12 tones of music or chromatic scale are being used simultaneously one after another, so that it will remove the doubt that only one or a few tone(s) is being used throughout. This paper will discuss that how the twelve note composition ended with the formation of emancipation of the dissonance. It was in the early 19th century (between 1911 and 1922) that Schoenberg was searching for something new, something that may replace the traditional and old scheme of composition of music pieces. He believed that the old music was using just one or two tones as the core elements of its compositions. These two elements according to him were the tone / tonality and dissonance. According to Schoenberg these elements were stretched and used throughout the composition which he did not appreciate. As a result Schoenberg came up with a new idea that all the twelve tones must be utilized while composing music. Through it he was assure of the fact that no single tone will get the significance and all tones will be heard and balance each other in any composition. If we try to understand ‘The method of composing with twelve tones grew out of necessity…such a change became necessary when there occurred simultaneously, a development which ended in what I call the emancipation of the dissonance’ (Schoenberg, 1975, p.216), Schoenberg actually pointed out towards the surplus use of dissonance in the late 19th century by the composers like Strauss, Debussy and Wagner. These composers used dissonance freely as the basic element of music. This was indeed a thorough change in the techniques of compositions and thus it ended in what Schoenberg’s has stated as ‘Emancipation of the dissonance’. It has been noticed that the majority of the Schoenberg’s twelve tone composition portrays some characteristics which summons the forms of large scale tones. The music composition included all the major and minor keys from A to G. However his prediction regarding the popularity of the twelve tone composition did not come to reality. He thought that with the formation of the twelve tone composition he can spread and sustain the Germanic Music for the coming ten decades. Actually it did not happen. Schoenberg’s twelve tone system gained popularity in the 20th century only. However at present musicians are unaware of the system and does not even aware of what twelve tone composition (Taylor & Melchior, 1993). With the formation of the twelve tones composition there was a simultaneous development in the music composition which was called the emancipation of dissonance. Emancipation of dissonance is also a concept in music composition which was formulated by Arnold Schoenberg and some other composers. In this emancipation he declared no difference or change in dissonance or consonance. According to Schoenberg, just like any other feature of life, music is also historically foreseeable. With this assumption and his establishment of the twelve tone composition he thought that he can hold German music for the coming 100 years. His representation was classical and portrayed a sequence in which principle of evolution was symbolized by chromatic scale. He further assumed the twelve tone composition as a replacement for functional tonality. The development of twelve tone composition was considered to bring a change in music style whereas the change was brought to an end with the development of emancipation of dissonance. However for the use of twelve tone composition he emphasized on not using or avoiding traditional dissonance or simple consonance (Encyclop?dia Britannica, 2013). It is evidenced from Music literature that Schoenberg was very conscious regarding music and its composition. Moreover he was also very focused regarding his improvement of historical inevitability. This was why he was working in a well functioning musical composition. His innovation of the twelve tone composition came out as a necessity. He highly emphasized on the music compositions of the 19th century in which the music tonalities has surplus the present theories of tone and composition (Taylor & Melchior, 1993). In order to understand the change of which Schoenberg is talking, the need is to understand the background to the context. With the development in ‘chromatism’, the overall perception of ‘harmony’ changed immensely. The thought was simple that the overall construction of ‘chords’ is controlled by one core tone that is the ‘root’. Followed by the notion of ‘tonality’, this has to be formed in the notion of ‘extended tonality’. As the concept grew wider, there started doubts that if all the chords, harmony and harmonic succession are still centered and referred to the root. More confusion was arising regarding the positive constructiveness of tones; the appearance of a tone at the start, in the middle or in the end is positive in nature and has positive construction or not. The use of harmonies by some other composers was also portraying a blurry picture regarding the constructive understanding. This was why tonality was the basic element which was previously defeated when it came to practice. The need for a change was growing more and more however this factor alone was not sufficient. Therefore with the growing necessity of change, and simultaneous development this ended in what Schoenberg stated as the emancipation of the dissonance. According to Schoenberg himself, the degree of difference between dissonance and consonance is not more or less beauty but more or less clarity (Taylor & Melchior, 1993). This is what led to change and establishment of the twelve tone composition. The listeners and their ears were tired of listening to the higher number of dissonances in one composition. The element of sense interrupting effect had also vanished from the music of the time, as something new was not provided by the composers to the listeners. The past evidences provide strong examples such as the dissonances of Wagner or Strauss Discords and its resolution. One other thing which was even more frightening was that listeners were not even disturbed by the non-functional harmonies of Debussy or by any other composer’s which came later and their insensitive counterpoint. The establishment of the change led the composers to focus and concentrate on the neglected elements of music such as the better use of the seventh chord which was almost diminished. This element has the tendency to lead or to follow any kind of harmony, consonant or dissonant and can sound like there was no dissonance at all (Taylor & Melchior, 1993). However, the twelve tone composition has failed to fulfill its master’s prediction to rule and sustain the power of the German music, it was still one of the most impudent and dominant musical development made in the 20th century. Some of the composers still utilize this theory in their work. However many are not even aware of the composition; its name and its purpose specifically the young ones (Taylor & Melchior, 1993). Schoenberg was very much declined towards his 12 points composition. This was the reason why he has used it in his music and compositions. He presented the theory arguing that the dissonant tones are unheard initially and then they appear amongst the overtones later. This is why ears are less familiar with them. However his idea does not strongly prove some significant phenomenon such as concord or discord. In short what Schoenberg wanted to convey was that what other composers and listeners consider as dissonance is not actually dissonance. It is basically the higher overtones in a harmonic sequence. Since people were more acquainted with the higher tones and their sound, therefore the use of such sharp overtones became usual and common for the composers (Taylor & Melchior, 1993). This was the reason why Schoenberg has used this technique in his music. If you listen to Schoenberg’s music you can easily differentiate his compositions from that of Wagner’s or Straus, only if you have a clear understanding of consonance, dissonance and harmony Evidences have been found that such compositions totally varied from all the past compositions and work. The change in music in Schoenberg’s work was observed not only on harmony level but on melody, theme level and motivating as well. However these masterworks have a significant level of expression with an outstanding succinctness. The linkage of emotions with briefness / shortness is very well planned in the work of Schoenberg. This has very well implied in Schoenberg’s musical compositions (Taylor & Melchior, 1993). History has proved that not every discovery or innovation last for long or was able to sustain its influence for a longer period. Many consequences were destroyed during the innovation of the twelve tone composition. However many different compositions, harmony and understandings were concluded from his theory, but a great part was also lost. It is known that harmony was previously considered and had been used to differentiate the elements of the form, rather then just being a source of beauty. There were different aspects which could not work and move with the flow. For example for a suitable ending only a consonance is used. Therefore diverse successions were needed of harmony than the roving function while establishing function demand. Used with a proper and logical understanding of harmonies the harmonic variations can be implemented more efficiently and it will be only then that it will be able to fulfill all the functions. The other issue which Schoenberg faced while making compositions based on his twelve tone technique was of the pieces that were lengthy. Moreover the chords that will ensure the usage of correct punctuations while forming sentence, or their fragmentation into clauses or into chapters has not been assessed yet regarding their positivity towards construction (Taylor & Melchior, 1993). Schoenberg’s was pretty much assure of the fact that evolution and use of chromatics in composition of the late 19th century music has completely diminished and dissolved the traditional harmonies and overtones or tonal centers. But it was observed that unfortunately Schoenberg himself discarded the system of harmonies and its use and replaced it with the new idea of the twelve tone composition or style which was entirely rotates around the phenomenon of ‘emancipation of dissonance’. He presented this theory / style in 1941 through which he wanted to say that dissonance should be well treated like consonances. In his work, the overtones, tonal centers and dissonance were completely evaded at every scale and level (Taylor & Melchior, 1993). He emphasized on the use of the chromatic scale which is also of equal significance. This was also one of the failures to the twelve tone composition and Schoenberg’s idea for a change in music. Different composers faced difficulty and complexities while forming compositions of great length. This was completely impossible without the use of tonal centre which structures the compositions and should have been used uniformly with chromatic scales. Complex and lengthy compositions were unable to form by composers and thus Schoenberg’s idea that his innovation will give a break to the German music for the next 100 years failed. However 12 years later he came with a different idea in which composed the twelve tone which are in association with one another (Taylor & Melchior, 1993). Schoenberg’s twelve tone composition became very famous in the late 19th century and was considered as intellectual legitimacy. It provided solutions to the ongoing historical musical problems of that time. According to Schoenberg the problem in music was on two aspects; tone and dissonance. By twelve tone composition, Schoenberg greatly stressed on the use of the chromatic scale and to avoid the dissonance, overtones or the tonal centers in compositions. He illustrated the use of such techniques by different composers was ended by what he called emancipation of dissonance. By the emancipation of dissonance he meant that consonance and dissonance are very much alike in nature and there is no great difference in both of them. However, Schoenberg’s innovation was of much attention and attraction back then in the late 19th century but with time the failure of the innovation started to become prominent and was brought to the frontline by other composers, musicians and writers who faced complexities while composing difficult and lengthy tones. List of References Encyclop?dia Britannica 2013, 12-tone music, viewed August8, 2013, Schoenberg, A 1975, Style and Idea: Selected Writings of Arnold Schoenberg, University of California Press, California. Taylor, R & Melchior, C 1993, Ezra Pound and Europe, Rodopi, Amsterdam. Read More