Tag Archives: atonal

Schoenberg ‘Ice Cream Truck’ Is the Best Thing Ever

by Ben Norton
Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951), one of the most important figures in the history of Western art music

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951), one of the most important figures in the history of Western art music

Arnold Schoenberg revolutionized music. There is no other way to articulate this fact—Schoenberg instigated a musical revolution. 12-tone serialism, or dodecaphony, the style of atonal composition the Austrian composer invented in 1921, was without a doubt one of the most important developments in the history of Western music. The reverberations (pun-intended) of Schoenberg’s works are still loudly resonating with us today.

Naturally, then, a scholar had the stroke of genius to immortalize the musical legend in the way all brilliant composers should be immortalized: … Read more

The Perfect Ping, The Ugliest Piece of Music, or Costas Arrays

by Dæv Tremblay

The video begins with a long but utterly interesting introduction on the matter. In short, this is music written to bear absolutely no repetition and, based on the premise that beauty in music is found in the repetition of motifs – which is an absolutely subjective and arbitrary statement, the ugliest, or less enjoyable, piece of music ever written.

Of course, it has been called like this to catch the attention of the reader, or the listener, because intelligent people are behind this apparently stupid title.

The music in itself is truly amazing, played on a grand piano at the … Read more