Drop the Needle - 12-Tone Serialism: The Most Democratic Harmony

Babbitt and Schoenberg

"To compose a twelve-tone piece that does not sound like it is written in a row requires a great deal of skill. I never had that kind of discipline."

— Leonard Bernstein, 1973, from his lecture series The Unanswered Question at Harvard University

Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret's Villa Savoye (1929-1931) exemplifies the principles of twelve-tone serialism in architecture, with its clean lines, minimalist design, and rejection of traditional hierarchies. Just as twelve-tone serialism treats all notes as equal, the Villa Savoye treats space and form with equal importance, creating a harmonious structure where every element is integrated into a cohesive, non-hierarchical whole. The building’s open floor plan and fluid integration with its surroundings reflect the systematic yet innovative spirit of twelve-tone music. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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Welcome to this special bonus issue of Drop the Needle: Music that Matters, where we dive deep into the innovative world of twelve-tone serialism, exploring its profound impact on modern music.