serialism
Chromatic sequence method
Serialism is a method of musical composition in which elements—typically the twelve notes of the chromatic scale—are arranged in a fixed sequence that governs the entire piece.
Developed in the early twentieth century by Arnold Schoenberg and others, it aimed to break from traditional tonality.
Later composers extended serial techniques to rhythm, dynamics, and timbre: total serialism, integral serialism.
Serialism using all pitches
- rowLinear arrangement across
- matrixOrdered numerical arrangement
- inversionReversal of position
- retrogradeMoving in reverse direction
transposition · permutation · aggregate · partitioning · integral · total · parametric · pointillism
Without musical key
- atonalityAbsence of key signature
- dissonanceLack of harmony
- chromaticismUse of non-scale tones
- modernismFavoring contemporary approaches
avant-garde · experimental · abstract · expressionism · complexity · angular · fragmented · sparse
Arranged elements forming whole
- sequenceOrdered succession of elements
- arrangementOrdered configuration or agreement
- variationChange from a norm
- developmentProgress toward maturity
counterpoint · polyphony · texture · structure · organization · permutation · transformation · procedure
twelve-tone
Serialism using all pitches
retrograde · transposition · permutation · aggregate · partitioning · integral · total · parametric · pointillism · enumeration
atonal
Without musical key
- atonalityAbsence of key signature
- dissonanceLack of harmony
- chromaticismUse of non-scale tones
modernism · avant-garde · experimental · abstract · expressionism · complexity · angular · fragmented · sparse · dense
Schoenberg
Atonal method inventor
composition
Arranged elements forming whole
- sequenceOrdered succession of elements
- arrangementOrdered configuration or agreement
- variationChange from a norm
development · counterpoint · polyphony · texture · structure · organization · permutation · transformation · procedure · method
serialismtonality
Music organized around tonic
Romanticism · counterpoint · impressionism · minimalism · folk music
serialismaccessible music
Easy to appreciate sonically
Romanticism · emotionalism · expressionism · popular music · minimalism
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- serialized dramaNarrative released in episodes
- serialized storytellingNarrative published in installments
- serialized storyTale released incrementally
serialized, serialize, serialization, serializes, seriality, serialist, serializer