Traditional View:
* Consonance: Chords considered pleasing and stable, often built on perfect intervals (unisons, octaves, perfect fifths) and major/minor thirds.
* Dissonance: Chords considered harsh or unstable, often built on imperfect intervals (seconds, sevenths, tritons) and augmented/diminished intervals.
20th Century Reinterpretations:
1. Expanded Harmonic Vocabulary:
* Composers like Schoenberg, Stravinsky, and Bartók explored extended chords, using intervals beyond the traditional triads and seventh chords (e.g., ninth chords, eleventh chords). These extended chords often defied traditional consonant/dissonant categorization.
* Microtonal music explored intervals smaller than a semitone, further blurring the lines between consonance and dissonance.
2. Contextual Dissonance:
* Dissonance became less about inherent unpleasantness and more about creating tension and expectation.
* Dissonant chords were often resolved to consonant chords, creating a sense of harmonic motion and release.
3. Subjective Perception:
* Composers began to challenge traditional notions of consonance and dissonance by emphasizing the subjective experience of sound.
* What was once considered dissonant could become consonant through repetition, context, and the listener's acclimation.
4. Dissonance as a New Aesthetic:
* Some composers (like Schoenberg and his followers) embraced dissonance as an integral element of their musical language.
* They used dissonance not just to create tension but also to express complex emotions and ideas.
Examples:
* Schoenberg's "Pierrot Lunaire" (1912): This piece uses atonality, abandoning traditional key centers and making use of dissonance throughout.
* Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" (1913): This ballet score features jarring dissonances and rhythmic complexities that shocked audiences at its premiere.
* Bartók's "Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta" (1936): This work showcases Bartók's use of extended chords and dissonances to create a unique and captivating sound world.
Conclusion:
The 20th century saw a radical evolution in the understanding and use of dissonance. Composers moved away from traditional notions of consonance and dissonance, embracing a broader harmonic palette, contextualizing dissonance as a tool for tension and expression, and ultimately recognizing the subjective nature of perceived harmony.