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: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 1201518
for: Choir and Concert Band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077812
for: SATB, Oboe, Cello, Keyboard [Organ or Piano]
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077138
for: Trombone [euphonium], brass band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 595215
for: SATB divisi
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1039201
Devoirs Supplementaires
for: Instrument
Music score
Item no.: 834197
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077925
Harmonia-Mixed Choir
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 913123
für Englischhorn und Kammerorchester
Studienpartitur
for: ORCHESTERWERKE KAMMERORCHESTER SOLO-OBOE
Study score
Item no.: 1343811
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077874
For: Concert Band or Woodwind Choir
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1552042
für Violoncello solo mit Daff (afrikanische Rahmentrommel)
for: Cello, percussion
Ensemble score
Item no.: 673494
A collection of easy character pieces
for: Piano 4 hands
Music score
Item no.: 1209497
for: Piano
Item no.: 1668339
Overture
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1198269
for: Concert band
Score, Conductors part (B-flat), Parts
Item no.: 1636370
Konzertmarsch
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 1641203
4-5 Oct.
for: Choir
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 919208
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077116
Handbells
for: Choir
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 856409
Geistliche Musik
for: Mixed choir (SATB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 1664263
for: Concert band
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1077939
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Set of parts
Item no.: 963811
Vocal or Instrumental Solo
for: Brass Band and Solo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1112647
for: Cello, piano
Music score
Item no.: 780946
Geistliche Musik
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1077436
für Klarinette, Gitarre, 2 Violinen, Violoncello und Klavier Stimmen
for: Flexible ensemble
Item no.: 644312
Viola, Violoncello und Klavier
Partitur und Stimmen
for: KAMMERMUSIK STREICH+TASTEN/BALGINSTR. QUINTETTE
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1344808
Symphonic Suite from the Opera
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1021225
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 1202825
Klassik
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1194385
für Horn und Orchester
Ausgabe für Horn und Klavier
for: Horn, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 675007
für Oboe und Orchester
for: Oboe, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 677589
for: Saxophon und Klavier
Book
Item no.: 994752
from Messa di Gloria
for: Baritone, Choir and Symphonic Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1198246
für Orchester
Studienpartitur
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1345046
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: String orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1659326
for: Flute, clarinet, piano
Piano score, Solo parts
Item no.: 1668169
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1681120
for: Brass ensemble (7 voices)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1690340
(Piano: Left Hand) and Orchestra
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 755940
Instrumentation by Maurice Ravel
for: Orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 758475
A Master Class with Evelyn Lear
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 1193479
2 Trompettes, Trombone et Tuba
for: 4 brass instruments
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1071923
from the Operetta Paganini
for: Tenor and Symphonic Band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1198280
for: 2 trumpets, organ
Item no.: 1664245
nach originalen Volksmelodien
for: Bandoneon
Item no.: 1653152
for: Organ
Item no.: 1676833