Study On Piano Works Of Total Serialism

As an important branch of composition system in 20th century, total serialism results from "expansion" and "integration" based on "Schoenberg’s Classical Serialism" and "Serialism Principle on Pitch". This kind of composition technique is greatly different from early serialism that its musical conception, musical content and the overall structure depends mostly on rational thinking of mathematical calculation. According to analyzing serial origin and deformation of five serialism works composed by Messiaen, Babbitt and Boulez, this article tries to generalize the creation, development, character and limitation of total serialism in chronological order of development of total serialism music and interprets its value in current multiplex music culture context.This article is divided into five chapters. The author mainly selects total serialism piano works by 20th century American composer Milton Babbitt, French composer Olivier Massiaen and Pierre Boulez. These contemporary works are composed by using different "serial idea" on the basis of similar "serialization" parameter. Using different "serial idea" on the basis of similar "serialization" parameter, those masters composed those contemporary works. The article also refers to the beginning of total serialism, that is to say which means the twelve-tone serial piano works of different "serialization" parameters composed by Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern in 19th century. In addition, the author carries on detailed music analysis and comparative study in perspective of creation and development of total serialism technique. Chapter one generalizes the development of serialism and leads to a point that composers needed to find out a new structure to completely replace tonality. The new structure was Schoenberg’s twelve-tone music, and it was Webern who created a more complete composition technique in serial thinking. Chapter two focuses on the first piece of Babbitt’s "Composition three" and Messiaen’s "Cant6jodaya", interpreting that the composers separated "dynamics" out and turned it into "dynamics serial "which had the same status as "pitch serial" and "rhythm serial". Chapter three analyzes Messiaen’s "Mode de valeurs et d’intensites" and "Ile de Feu II" and interprets that in addition to pitch, rhythm and dynamics the composer also used "serialization" technique into playing method parameter, which led the development of the whole total serialiam music. Chapter four pays attention to Boulez’s first "Strucutres" and interprets how the composer made serial development more mechanized in condition of owning the same musical parameter with Messiaen’s "Mode de valeurs et d’intensit6s". The final chapter discusses from prosperity to decline of total serialism and contemplates why it lasted only for ten years and makes an conclusion that total serialism is important and should not be ignored in aesthetic and historical significance.