Twelve-tone System (Noun)
Meaning
A type of serial music introduced by Arnold Schoenberg; uses a tone row formed by the twelve semitones of the chromatic scale (and inverted or backward versions of the row).
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The twelve-tone system was a revolutionary musical technique developed by Arnold Schoenberg in the early 20th century.
- Composers who used the twelve-tone system often created complex and atonal music that challenged traditional harmonic structures.
- Schoenberg's student Alban Berg was also a prominent user of the twelve-tone system, incorporating it into many of his works.
- The twelve-tone system allowed composers to create music that was highly organized and structured, yet still sounded dissonant and avant-garde.
- The use of the twelve-tone system declined in the mid-20th century as composers began to explore other forms of serialism and musical experimentation.