What Is Expressionism in Music?

Expressionism in music emphasizes the portrayal of strong feelings over objective reality. It reflects an artist’s subjective experiences rather than concrete narratives, using unique techniques to convey emotions derived from nature, society, or personal aesthetics.

Expressionism in music is a term for composition and performance that emphasizes the expression of strong feelings. Though expressionism was first defined as an artistic movement, it has since been applied to other branches of the arts. The word expressionist is sometimes used as a synonym for “modern artist” or composer.

Expressionism Defined

At its core, expressionism in music is a manifestation of subjective emotions, feelings of alienation, and heightened anxiety. It grew as a counter-response to the rigid academic rules governing compositions during the Romantic Period – rules focused on mechanical repetition and strict structure.

While expressionism shares some characteristics with Impressionism, Symbolism, and Futurism, it carves out its own unique niche. The expressionist musicians distorted sounds and melodies to mirror their subjective emotions, often leading to music that seems complex and evokes feelings of anxiety in the listener.

Expressionism Art Movement

Expressionists wanted to express their own individuality, but they also had their own style of expression, which are generally based on an expressionist technique called the synthesis of several expressionist techniques:

  • Distortion of sounds and melodies expresses the subjective feelings of expressionists in music. When you listen to expressionist music with distortions or atonal harmony, it seems that your mind is trying to understand with difficulty what is happening – this gives an expressionist piece emotion and suggests anxiety. 
  • Harshness and bitterness show expressionist music as expressions of criticism, discontent, and social alienation.
  • Irrationalism expresses expressionist feeling by giving the listener a sense that an expressionist piece is not organized or planned like other styles such as classical or impressionistic music. Irrationalism in expressionist music shows you unpredictable endings and a lack of emotional balance. 

These techniques cause expressionist music to have negative emotions, expression of anxiety, and alienation.

When Did the Expressionist Era Begin?

The expressionist era is often considered to have begun in the early 20th century. In the beginning, the expressionist movement focused on painting and later branched out to other mediums, such as sculpture, architecture, dance, literature, and music.

Importance of Expressionism in Music

Expressionism was an important phase in the history of music for two reasons: 

  1. It challenged people’s thinking about music and art because it made people think that art does not have to be composed in a conventional style.
  1. Expressionism forced composers to look for new methods of music composition. This made them create their own original style of music instead of using other people’s ideas, which made it possible for them to develop their own individual sound that is different from the rest of the composers.

Expressionism was significant for music because it made people think about how they were listening to music and what they thought about it. This encouraged creativity and uniqueness in music composition, which is why many composers today use this style of music. 

Composers of the Expressionist Era

Among the eminent figures associated with this genre are Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern, and Alban Berg.

Arnold Schoenberg: Hailing from Vienna, Schoenberg was a trailblazer in the realm of expressionistic music. He introduced an avant-garde composing method known as serialism or twelve-tone music. A prominent figure in the larger expressionist art movement, notable works like his Opus 11 bear the hallmark of expressionism, evident in its dissonant harmonies and dynamic fluctuations.

Anton Webern: A fellow Austrian, Webern was instrumental in shaping twelve-tone music. His works, like Opus 21, are rife with expressionist techniques – dissonant harmonies, melodies, and tonal painting, encapsulating feelings of estrangement and anxiety.

Alban Berg: A confidant of Schoenberg, Berg’s music was deeply expressionistic. Pieces such as his Opus 1 utilize dissonant harmonies, tonal painting, and melodious decorations to convey a spectrum of emotions.

By the mid-20th century, while the core expressionist movement had waned, its musical influence persisted, reminding us that expressionism, at its heart, epitomized the profound conveyance of raw, subjective emotions and a sense of alienation.

Summary

Expressionism in music is intended to convey the emotional state of an artist. Its goal is to express the inner thoughts and feelings of the composer rather than to tell a story or make a statement. The legacy of expressionistic music is a rich tapestry of soundscapes that continue to challenge, inspire, and resonate with generations of listeners.