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Period: to
Claude Debussy
Most important French composer of the early 20th century -
Period: to
Richard Strauss
Composer of tone poems and some of the first modern operas, works epitomize maximalism -
Period: to
Jean Sibelius
Finnish whose later music is very modern -
Period: to
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Became the leader in English music -
Period: to
Sergei Rachmaniov
Not interested in nationalism; master of melody -
Period: to
Gustav Holst
English; influenced by folksong and Hindu mysticism -
Period: to
Charles Ives
American composer who was very innovative and original -
Period: to
Arnold Schoenberg
The father of 12-tone music -
Period: to
Maurice Ravel
French impressionist composer -
Period: to
Manuel de Falla
The principal Spanish composer of the 20th century -
Period: to
Igor Stravinsky
One of the most versatile and interesting composers of the 20th century -
Period: to
Anton von Webern
Student of Schoenberg; known for his musical brevity and clarity of texture -
Period: to
Alban Berg
Student of Schoenberg; expressive often atonal language -
Period: to
Sergei Prokofiev
Russian composer and pianist; important in Western culture -
Period: to
Paul Hindemith
German conductor, teacher, author, and composer -
Period: to
William Grant Still
First African-American composer to have his symphony performed by a leading orchestra and conduct a major orchestra -
Period: to
George Gershwin
Influential American composer, pianist, and conductor who worked in Hollywood -
Period: to
Francis Poulenc
French composer; harmonically charming -
Period: to
Duke Ellington
American jazz composer, band leader, and pianist; created a unique style of big band jazz -
Period: to
Aaron Copland
Most popular American composer of the 20th century -
The first radio receiver successfully receives a radio transmission
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The London Symphony Orchestra was founded
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Albert Einstein publishes the Theory of Relativity
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Lee deforest invents the electronic amplifying tube
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Period: to
Dimitri Shostakovich
Most important Russian composer working in his day -
Period: to
Elliot Carter
contributed compositions into the 21st century -
Period: to
John Cage
American composer and philosopher; center of avant-garde music -
Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring premieres
At the Théâtre des Champs Élysées, a riot ensued -
Period: to
Benjamin Britten
Most prolific and best-known composer of the 20th century -
World War I begins
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Period: to
Leonard Bernstein
American conductor and composer; brought classical music to the public via various media -
Women's suffrage movement pushes for women's right to vote to be implemented
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Julliard School of Music opens
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Pierre Boulez
French composer who advocated total serialism -
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
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Period: to
Karl Stockhausen
German composer who helped pioneer electronic music and modern notation -
George Crumb
American composer popular for expressing despair during the Vietnam War -
First electrified guitars invented
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Neo-Bechstein (first electric-acoustic piano) is invented
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John Williams
American composer considered one of the best film score composers in America -
Stereo Records invented by Alan Blumlein
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Terry Riley
One of the founders of minimalism -
Philip Glass
American-Jewish composer and performer, one of the innovators of minimalism -
World War II begins
Germany invades Poland -
Frank Sinatra establishes himself as a solo performer
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Paul Lansky
American pioneer in digital sound synthesis -
American drops Atom Bomb on Japan
Nagasaki and Hiroshima -
John Adams
American Composer and conductor; expanded minimalism and neo-romanticism -
Andrew Lloyd Webber
British composer of extraordinary contemporary fame and success -
The Fender Esquire (Telecaster) is released
The world's first commercially successful solid body electric guitar -
Miles Davis releases Kind of Blue
Most famous Jazz album of all time -
Passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act
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Neil Armstrong becomes first man to walk on the moon
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Eric Whitacre
American composer and conductor, famous for virtual choir and neo-tonal style -
Compact Disc (CD) is released
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The Berlin Wall is brought down
