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Romanticism’s overblown sensuality was ill-suited for providing viable musical expression in the 20th century. Experimentation with and reassessment of musical resources marked the century. Many found inspiration in a return to classical principles. The pervasiveness and persistence of classical tonality continued to shape compositions. An interest in primitive and ethnic musical systems also opened the door to a new rhythmic vitality and the enrichment of melody, harmonic language, and forms. Radio, the recording industry, the American stage, and television had a profound affect. Broadcasts, recordings, a printing avalanche, and the Internet made popular and classical music readily available. These sparked interest in authentic, historically-informed performances. Particularly invigorating was the blurring of folk, popular, and classical categories. Just as slave spirituals influenced Dvorak and Gershwin, big-band leader Benny Goodman commissioned a classical concerto for clarinet. Eclecticism and experimentation reigned. Others challenged traditional compositional technique and established new norms, such as:
Some explored aleatoric (twelve-tone) composition, while others eventually embraced minimalism. Later in the century, composers explored the possibilities of the electronic synthesizer. The end of the century also saw a marked return to a new tonalism.
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