The Future of Modern Music: A Philosophical Exploration of Modernist Music in the 20th Century and Beyond

• Cover Type: Paperback with 415 pages
• Published by: Iconic Press; Third edition edition April 1, 2008
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0977819515
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0977819515
• Book Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Weighs: 1.1 pounds

A selective survey of the major pioneering composers of the 20th century, this resource focuses on the development of the new emphases in music creation, including tone color and density—elements which prior to 1900 had been subordinated in their treatment and given secondary importance compared to melody and harmony. In addition to presenting general biographies and a list of each of the 123 featured composer’s most prominent works, this sourcebook looks at the philosophies and the aesthetic considerations behind the new techniques involved in these primary treatments of density and timbre. From Claude Debussy, Gustav Mahler, and Karlheinz Stockhausen to Julio Estrada, Luigi Russolo, and Otomo Yoshihide, this review provides a means of understanding and appreciating the music predominant in the repertoires of most major, modern-day orchestras.

About The Author

James L. McHard is a freelance composer, lecturer, and author on music history. A fellow in the American Biographical Institute–Great Minds of the 21st Century, he has also been recognized by Great Britain's International Biographical Association's–Great Intellects of the 21st Century. He lives in Livonia, Michigan.