Neoclassicism in music is a special term that denotes the direction in academic music of the last century. Its representatives imitated the style of musical compositions of the XVII-XVIII centuries. Especially popular were the works of composers of early classicism, as well as late baroque. The musicians of the 20th century tried to contrast this style with, in their opinion, the music of late romanticism, which was unnecessarily emotional and overloaded with complicated technical devices. The most popular this direction was in the 1920-30s.
Neoclassicism characteristic
Neoclassicism in music in its style is very similar to the direction of the neo-baroque. The border between them is very blurred. This was largely due to the fact that composers themselves often mixed stylistic and genre features of both historical periods.
Nowadays, the term "neoclassicism" in music is very common. So experts determine, firstly, the stylization of the Baroque and Viennese classics, as well as the so-called aesthetic reconstructions from other historical periods other than romanticism.
According to musicologist Levon Hakobyan, current scholars sometimes unjustifiably expand the concept of neoclassicism, including most of the music that was composed in the 20th century. And often it does not fit into the concept of either avant-garde or modernism.
Representatives of neoclassicism in music
The founders of such a trend as neoclassicism are considered composers who represented the moderate branch of late romanticism in the late XIX - early XX centuries. Among them - Johannes Brahms, Camille Saint-Saens, Alexander Glazunov.
Some famous composers begin to imitate the classical style in the second half of the 19th century. Similar trends are observed in the "Intermezzo in the classical style" by Modest Mussorgsky, the "Ancient Minuet" by Maurice Ravel.
The first representatives of neoclassicism in the music of the 20th century were Sergei Prokofiev with the Classical Symphony, as well as Eric Sati, who wrote "Bureaucratic Sonatina", in which Muzio Clementi's sonatina is parodied.
Interpretations of neoclassicism
Many musicologists, for example, domestic specialist Galina Filenko, interpret neoclassicism as the embodiment of an "antique theme", without perceiving it as a stylization of Viennese classics.
At the same time, Filenko notes that the so-called spirit of antiquity, composers recreated using Gregorian psalmody. This is her own term by which she denotes Gregorian singing - it is a one-voice performance, popular in the Roman Catholic Church.
An example of neoclassicism
At one time, neoclassicism in music was very popular. Representatives of this trend left a noticeable mark in the development of music. One of the brightest representatives of neoclassicism is Eric Satie and his symphonic drama Socrates. In this work, the eccentric French composer concluded a vocal cycle for soprano with an orchestra, which includes fragments from the philosophical work of Plato's Dialogues translated into French.
Experts note that the musical language used by Sati is clear and concise in expressive means. The work involved a chamber orchestra, a very small one, composed almost exclusively of stringed instruments. With its help, the parts of the vocalists sound fresh, without violating the strict and severe nature of the sound.
Sati's music is also distinguished by the fact that it does not strive to coincide in detail with the text. The composer conveys only the general atmosphere and environment. At the same time, the average temperature of emotions is constantly maintained throughout the drama.
In these manifestations, Sati is close to the artists of the Renaissance. For example, Sandro Botticelli, Fra Beato Angelico. And also to the painter of the XIX century Puvi de Chavannes, whom he considered his favorite, especially in early youth.
All these artists, just like Sati, only in painting, solved the problems of image unity, eliminating restless contrasts, small strokes, and symmetrical arrangement of figures.
Eric Sati Style
Sati is a vivid representative of neoclassicism and classical avant-garde in music. He creates his own, unique style, which is characterized by extremely restrained emotions throughout almost the entire length of his main musical work - Socrates.
He often uses various expressive means, which are regularly alternated and repeated. Here are textured patterns and smooth harmonic sequences. The composer divides motives and formations into very small cells - one or two measures. In this case, the repetitions are symmetric at a very small distance from each other. In the future, this constructive and emotional path was used by many other Sati followers, representatives of neoclassicism in music. Composers rightly considered the Frenchman one of the founders of this direction.
The search for neoclassicism
It should be noted that in its development the music of neoclassicism, the countries in which it was cultivated, were constantly changing. For example, if at first it was the lot of the European state, then by the beginning of the XX century many representatives of this direction appeared on the territory of Russia.
The same thing applies to style variability. Moreover, Sati himself, the founder of musical neoclassicism, was engaged in it. In 1917 he released his famous and scandalous ballet Parade. Many celebrities of that time had a hand in participating in this production: the libretto was written by Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso worked on the set design, the main parts were performed by Leonid Myasin and Lidia Lopukhova.
The plot of this work was a description of the performance of the circus performers. They are trying with all their might to attract the audience so that she sees their performance, which is organized in a circus tent.
The Socrates symphonic drama, released a year later, differs markedly from Parade. Sati declares that he is ready to present a fundamentally new work to the world, ultimately officially declaring that in Socrates he decided to finally return to classical simplicity in everything, but at the same time maintaining modern sensitivity.
The premiere of Socrates took place in 1918. At that time, it became a new word in modern classical music. Many art lovers enthusiastically accepted this new work of Sati.
The development of neoclassicism
Seriously perceive neoclassicism in music as an artistic direction in 1920. It was then that the Italian composer Ferruccio Busoni published a feature article "New Classicism". He did this in the form of an open letter in which he turned to the popular musicologist Becker. This article became programmatic for this musical direction.
Neoclassicism received a powerful development in culture from the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. He was especially manifested in his vivid and memorable works - "The Adventures of the Hang", "Pulcinella", "Orpheus", "Apollon Musaget". Also, the French composer Albert Roussel had a hand in popularizing neoclassicism. It was in relation to his music that the term was first officially used. It happened in 1923.
In general, many composers of the first half of the 20th century worked in similar styles. Neoclassicism in German neoclassical music was developed by Paul Hindemith. In France it was Darius Millau and Francis Pulenck, in Italy - Ottorino Respighi and Alfredo Casella.
Application in non-academic music
In recent years, the direction of neoclassicism in music has almost never returned. Although in the XXI century such a term has become increasingly common on the pages of music newspapers and magazines. However, this is a mistake. Nowadays, musical neoclassicism is increasingly called a special synthesis of a harmonious combination of classical music with electronics, pop and rock styles.
At the same time, the most popular modern representatives of such music, as in the days when neoclassicism was just reborn, came from Italy and France.