To refer to it as classical music is akin to referring to the genre of Jazz as “ragtime”. Notated music, played by traditional orchestral musicians, concert music, whatever you want to call it underwent a seismic revolution at the turn of the 20th century and continued on that violent and alienating path throughout the turmoil of two world, and one cold wars. From embracing a new “modern” trend spirited in Paris and a natural conclusion to germanic chromaticism that collided in a single cacophonous chord that closed the curtain on Strauss’s Salome music underwent a violent insurrection, where melody, tonality, rhythm and even the presence of audiences were sneered upon.
It is so easy to condemn the aimless noodling of Boulez or Messiaen, the tone rows of the 2nd viennese school, the incoherence of Stockhausen’s aleatoric experiments with electronics or indeed the four minutes and thirty three seconds of total silence ‘written” by John Cage.
However it was this century that now leaves us returning to trifling concerns like melody, tonality and rhythm or pulse. However as a choice not as a pre-requisite.
I have been searching for this series for many years as the BBC has failed to make it available online. But I am convinced that this brilliant documentary that efficiently manages the spirit of works created in this mad (and maddening) century in just 3 hour long episodes will leave you thinking differently about 12 tone, atonal, avant garde fishes being thrown into piano lids that we do so much to avoid. Featuring an esteemed set of talking heads from Philip Glass to John Adams, John Tavener to Steve Reich, Pierre Boulez to Arvo Part. The program makers have managed to weave an accessibly contextual narrative through a terribly complicated time in our history that spans two continents, and many differing opinions (Boulez and Adams come out of this particularly diametrically opposed). But also some truly surprising insights including that the main financier of the European avant gard music moment was funded largely by the United States military? Catch it while you can because the BBC may think better of the style of distribution our unknown YouTuber may be considered to be infringing.
The youtuber has prevented embedding so here’s links that will direct you to the channel: