German110DanaeSs14: Music in the 20th and 21st Centuries

Music

In the beginning of the 20th century, music in Germany was divided between German and Austrian music. Berlin composers took a populist route with a cabaret-like socialist operas of Kurt Weill and the Gebrauchsmusik of Paul Hindemith. Munich had the music of Carl Orff whose opera Carmen Burana remains popular today. Germany played one of the key roles that would have a completely different turn to the music world. Germany played such a key role in the arts, such as music, that even after World War I Germany's music was still looked at very highly in the continent of Europe. However, things took a complete turn when the Nazi's came into power for twelve years. Many composers fled Germany during the Nazi years. The Nazis wanted to get rid of "so-called degenerate art." This was any music associated with Jews, Communists, and jazz.

When new music came around in the early 20th century, it was Germany who played a huge role in the new change that would impact the music world. Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian Jew who created a new style of music where there was no repetition or melody, but it was mainly timbre. Schoenberg also invented a new kind of music where the singer would talk during the song instead of listening. Because of his nationality the Nazi's and Hitler hated him, but other musicians had different opinions of Schoenberg. In fact, after Hitler took over Germany, many of Germany's musicians that were Jewish fled to the United States. Hitler demolished the uprising of music in Germany. Richard Wagner was the leader of music according to Hitler.

In the second half of the 20th century, composers in West Germany focused on avant-garde, which was music that was thought to be ahead of its time that is challenges social and artistic values by provoking its audience. Composers in East Germany were encouraged to keep more with Socialist Realism and to avoid avant-garde. Music in the style was supposed to further political parties and be more accessible to all.

After World War II Germany was no longer one of the lead music countries. The NAZI's did something to make it fall, it is still questioned as to how they made it fall. It is to peoples opinions that musicians who were trained before World War II were better musicians than musicians that came after the first era of music in the 20th century. Pop music was also greatly influenced by the United States and Great Britain. The English pop music was more looked at by Western Germany than by Eastern Germany. Rock also became important in Western Germany as well.

Folk music was also very popular in the 20th century. Folk songs were taught to young children, but had little relation to authentic German traditions. New songs featuring political activism and realistic joy, passion, and sadness were composed and performed after 1968 in West Germany and the mid 1970s in East Germany.

Other popular music in Germany in the 20th and 21st centuries include Neue Deustche Welle, Metal/Rock, Punk, Pop Rock, Indie and Hip-hop. Germany hosts many rock festivals annually, including Rock am Ring festival, which is the largest music festival in Germany, and among the largest in the world. It also holds some of the largest goth festivals in the world, with some easily attracting 30,000 people. Wacken Open Air festival is also the biggest open air heavy metal festival in the world. 80,000 people attended this festival in 2011, and all 75,000 tickets were sold 8 months before the festival was to take place in 2012. 137 bands performed on 7 different stages.

          During the 1990's German music was still out there, but very few artists were played on the radio. In 2002 that changed because of the success of Wir sind Helden. They had a new level of confidence and after their confidence, several bands followed in success. Hip hop also came into play in the 1990's and hit a high peak in the early 2000's.