Composers broke the old rules with bold new rhythms and surprising harmonies — and wrote music for ballets, films, and even to teach kids the orchestra.
After the big feelings of the Romantic era, composers in the 1900s went looking for something brand new. They experimented with rhythms that stomp and lurch in surprising ways, and with harmonies that can sound spiky, jazzy, or mysterious instead of smooth and sweet. "Modern" music doesn't mean one single style — it means composers felt free to try almost anything.
New inventions changed who got to hear music. Recordings, radio, and the movies meant a piece could travel around the world instead of only being heard in a concert hall. Composers began writing for brand-new places too — especially ballets (big danced stories) and film soundtracks — so music became part of dancing and storytelling on screen.
Some modern composers wrote especially for children. The most famous example is a Russian musical story where every character is played by a different instrument — a clever way to help kids recognize the sounds of the orchestra, which you'll meet in the "familiar theme" below.
Approximate dates · Timeline not to scale. Select an underlined era to explore its chapter.
Different people, different musical ideas. Who will you remember?
A Russian composer famous for his ballets, especially "The Firebird" and "The Rite of Spring." His pounding, unexpected rhythms were so new that the first audience for "The Rite of Spring" in 1913 actually shouted and argued during the performance.
A Russian composer who wrote "Peter and the Wolf," a musical story that teaches children the instruments of the orchestra by giving each character its own instrument and tune. He also wrote ballets, film music, and pieces for young piano students.
A Soviet composer who wrote 15 symphonies plus film scores and music for young players. He lived through difficult times in the Soviet Union, and his music can swing from playful and witty to powerful and serious.
In 1936, Sergei Prokofiev wrote "Peter and the Wolf," a story where a narrator reads aloud while the orchestra acts out the characters. Each one gets its own instrument: the little bird is a chirping flute, the duck is an oboe, the sneaky cat is a clarinet, grumpy Grandfather is a bassoon, the wolf is three French horns, and brave Peter is the warm sound of the strings. Listen once and you'll never forget which instrument is which — that's exactly why Prokofiev wrote it for kids.
Give it a go! Choose an answer, then check it to find out more.
What best describes "Modern" music from the 1900s?
Answer: ______________________
Which new inventions helped modern music reach people all over the world?
Answer: ______________________
In Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf," each character is played by a different what?
Answer: ______________________
True or false: the first audience for Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" in 1913 was so surprised that people shouted and argued during it.
Answer: ______________________
Which composer wrote 15 symphonies while living in the Soviet Union?
Answer: ______________________
1. What best describes "Modern" music from the 1900s?
2. Which new inventions helped modern music reach people all over the world?
3. In Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf," each character is played by a different what?
4. True or false: the first audience for Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" in 1913 was so surprised that people shouted and argued during it.
5. Which composer wrote 15 symphonies while living in the Soviet Union?