„RASCEP” MUZIČKE UMETNOSTI XX VEKA: MODERNIZAM I NEOKLASICIZAM

Abstract

The 20th century is marked as a period of great changes in society and art. Historical events, society development, the emergence of industrialization and the modernization of life have led to revolutionary events that will change the way society functions forever. During the 20th century, philosophy and art experienced a splitting from the authors’ point of view, for the first time until then, due to which two opposing creative currents arose - one directed forward by rejecting creative practices of the past and tradition, and the other that nurtures practices of the past by using some of its elements. Therefore, art and philosophy have become the main commentators of current events in order to present truths in the face of a shaken and changing society. Elitist attitudes meet the resistance of the ruling doxa created under the influence of industrialization, which threatened the unification of society by marketing “cheap” art and lies. On the one hand, the modernistic revolution arose in the work of many artists, especially at the beginning of the century. Every link to the elements of the past was broken, and many new techniques were born. Within those new esthetics, the dodecaphonic technique took a special place among musicians – the Second Viennese School tried to replace every outdated practice of the past. Even though they tried their best to break all the links to the past, some of its elements could never be replaced in their music (placement of the tone row very much reminded of the imitation technique rules). On the other hand, as a response to the art revolution and terrible historical events (WWI), a group of composers looked back with a new aim – reconstruction and revitalization of perfected practice of the past. That is what is called Neoclassicism. Therefore, the opposing relationship between modernism, as the bearer of the great transformation of society and art idea, and neoclassicism, as the opposite current relying on practices of the past, define the 20th century. These two artistic views broke unity and thus forever changed the course of history and intellectual thinking.