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1900–1919 – Birth of modern classical & jazz
1902: Debut of Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande in Paris – marks musical Impressionism 1908–1909: Arnold Schoenberg begins writing atonal pieces (Book of Hanging Gardens, Op. 11) . 1910–1913: Stravinsky’s The Firebird (1910) and The Rite of Spring premiere, heralding modernism (with a famous riot in 1913). 1917: First jazz recording by the Original Dixieland Jass Band in New Orleans -
1900–1919 – Birth of modern classical & jazz
1902: Debut of Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande in Paris – marks musical Impressionism 1908–1909: Arnold Schoenberg begins writing atonal pieces (Book of Hanging Gardens, Op. 11) 1910–1913: Stravinsky’s The Firebird (1910) and The Rite of Spring premiere, heralding modernism (with a famous riot in 1913). 1917: First jazz recording by the Original Dixieland Jass Band in New Orleans -
1920–1939 – Jazz, blues, and more experimentation
1921–1924: Schoenberg invents 12-tone serialism; Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue blends classical and jazz (1924) 1925: Alban Berg’s opera Wozzeck premieres, pushing expressionism 1930s: Growth of blues and jazz—Billie Holiday records, Duke Ellington rises -
1920–1939 – Jazz, blues, and more experimentation
1921–1924: Schoenberg invents 12-tone serialism; Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue blends classical and jazz (1924) 1925: Alban Berg’s opera Wozzeck premieres, pushing expressionism 1930s: Growth of blues and jazz—Billie Holiday records, Duke Ellington rises -
1940–1959 – Bebop, big band, rock’s beginnings
1944–1945: Copland’s Appalachian Spring and bebop starts in jazz with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie Late 1940s: Birth of bluegrass and LP records (33 1/3 rpm) . Early 1950s: Stockhausen composes early electronic works; rock’n’roll begins with Bill Haley (Rock Around the Clock, 1954) 1956: Elvis Presley becomes the face of rock’n’roll -
1960–1979 – Rock explosion & genre fusion
1960s: British Invasion (Beatles, Rolling Stones), jazz fusion begins (Miles Davis, late ’60s) . 1969: Woodstock festival symbolizes counterculture rock Early 1970s: Rock diversifies into art rock, progressive rock (Pet Sounds, Dark Side of the Moon) 1970s: Disco from NY clubs, funk from James Brown, hip-hop emerges late decade . -
1980–1999 – Digital revolution & new sounds
1981: MTV launches, visual music takes off . Synth-pop and electronic music flourish using synthesizers . Genres like heavy metal, punk, alternative rock, hip-hop, house, techno, reggae, and soul dominate the scene