Historical Periods Presentation:

Modern PeriodMTE/534 – Curriculum Constructs and Assessments:

Visual and Performing ArtsMelissa Earle, Siobhan Eith, Kasie, April Wells

Dr. Cassaundra SingletonMarch 28th, 2016

Modern Period IntroductionThis presentation will discuss important historical events from the Modern

Period. The term “modern” was created in the 16th century to signify recent or present times (Baker, 1987). Some major events of this era include World War I

(1914-1918), World War II (1939-1945), and “Modernism” (the movement experimented with a large amount of new approaches). Topics that are featured in the presentation include visual arts, drama, music, and dance. Each section will discuss the defining characteristics, significant artists, relevant timeframe,

the origin of the movement, and how society was involved.

Modern Period Visual Arts

Modern Period Visual Arts

Prior to the 19th century, many artists were hired by wealthy patrons or churches to create artwork. Because of this, many of

the works of art depicted religious themes or mythological scenes. Visual art was intended to instruct the audience rather than entertain them. With the turn of the 19th century, many artist made the switch to depict the people, places, and ideas that interested them as an individual. They also began to explore

dreams and symbolism as a day to depict their own experiences. It was also during this time that artists really began to experiment

with photography and the use of non-traditional materials.

Defining Characteristics

• Depicted people, places, and ideas that the artist was interested in

• Exploration of symbolism and dreams• Expressive use of color• Experimentation with different materials• Use of new techniques an mediums (such as photography)

Significant Artists

• Eugène Atget • Hippolyte Blancard • Paul Cézanne • Robert Delaunay• Vincent van Gogh• Hector Guimard • Raoul François Larche 

• Jacques-Henri Lartigue • Henri Matisse • Edvard Munch• Pablo Picasso • Georges-Pierre Seurat•  Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec•  Édouard Vuillard

Relevant Timeframe• 1899- Sigmund Fraud publishes the interpretation of dreams

influencing a new subject matter for artists• Late 19th century artists work to depict not only every day life but

also the emotional and psychological stresses one may experience• End of 19th century graphic design and advertising was born• Early 1900s the emergence of the modern city creating

innovations in transportation and massive migrations of people• During the 20th century, photographs became more accessible

Where Movements OriginatedThe switch in visual art truly

started to change during the time of the industrial revolution, where the advancement in

technology, manufacturing, and transportation were at the

forefront. Even though this took place all around the world,

France was the country that seemed to have changed the

most rapidly, especially in Paris.

How Society Was InvolvedSociety played a major role in the change in visual art. With the

development of better technology, new types of mediums and methods (such as paint in a tube) of creating art came about. The increased transportation made it easier for artist to get around to paint the

people and places around them. Also, society itself became an important part because now they were the subject for artists to focus on in order to create great works of art. With the increased ease of

creating visual art, artists were able to duplicate their works over and over again. With this the age of advertising was born with artists

creating posters and flyers for cabarets, art salons, music concerts, and readings.

Modern Period Drama

Modern Period Drama

The modern period and its drama were shaped by world-changing forces, such as industrial-technological revolution, democratic revolutions, and an

intellectual revolution that would disrupt earlier conceptions of time, space, the divine, human psychology, and social order (Cohen, 2016). This

brought on the realism and symbolism movement within the theatre group. This is where themes and feelings where brought into the theatre life as a way of expressing ones self also known as today’s modern play

and musical theatre.

Defining Characteristics

All about:

• Real-life environments

• Real-time dramatic plots

• Use of creativity, to disrupt, question, challenge, and cause change in society and especially its political systems.

Significant Types of Modern Drama

• Expressionism• Theatricalism• French Avant-Garde

Relevant Timeframe• 1916 – Bernard Shaw’s – Pygmalion• 1910 – Bernard Shaw’s – The Dark

Lady of the Sonnets• 1905 – Bernard Shaw – Major Barbara • 1899 – by George Bernard Shaw –

Caesar and Cleopatra• 1894 – Bernard Shaw's – Arms and the

Man• 1894 – Bernard Shaw – Mrs. Warren's

Profession

• 19th Century drama introduced – Oscar Wilde – An Ideal Husband

Oscar Wilde – The Importance of Being EarnestBernard Shaw – Misalliance

• 18th Century or Enlightenment drama is introduced as “The Beggar's Opera,” The inspiration for the 20th-century Brecht/Weill Three penny Opera, this play is a mock opera which satirizes the British upper class.

• 17th Century – Dom Juan, ou Le Festin de Pierre, Restoration Drama is introduced.

Where Movements Originated

Within the many revolutions in Europe in the 19th century, artists gave voice to the personal, changing opposition to the status quo,

and in post-World War I, O'Neill, the father of American drama, would restate the tensions of the past and keep current with the political turmoil of the present--from experiments with socialism in America. (Narey, n.d.). The sudden arise of the reactionary feelings and dealings gave rise to the McCarthy era and the

House on Un-American Activities Committee, with such figures as Miller giving us The Crucible, a modern drama on the puritanical

witch trials of Salem and 17th century America (Narey, n.d.).

How Society Was Involved

Society insists on a greater understanding of all things pertinent to modern humanity and its relationships to religion, societal order, psychology in order to appreciate its message; however, we critically acknowledge that most of

us remain ignorant to all the former (Narey, n.d.). Thus, the drama instructs, irritates, challenges, and begs for intelligence in order to gain from its

message (Narey, n.d.). It remains didactic, combined with pleasure, but always wishing to challenge the current notions of authority (Narey, n.d.).

Modern Period Music

Modern Period Music

Modern Period music has evolved in many different ways. The most common element among the various types of Modern music is the element of

experimentation. The Modern Era of music was created form the late Romantic and Impressionist periods as a result of experimental efforts of composers such as Richard Strauss, Maurice Ravel, and Claude Debussy. Even though some composers of the Modern Era of music continually used traditional harmonies that were developed during the Romantic Period, many other

Modern Era composers experimented with new, unusual harmonies.

Defining Characteristics• Sounds were more unconventional• Percussion became more important

because unusual instruments like bicycle horns and typewriters were used (Kamien, 2002).

• There was controversy with sounds that were unfamiliar, disturbing, or fantasy-like.

• Technology changes were included into music. Microsoft.com

Significant ArtistsMusic from the Modern Period was

inspired by the Big Band and Rockabilly genre. Music trends

introduced in the Modern Period includes:

* Rhythm and Blues *Funk * Jazz *Rap *Motown *Rock and Roll *Country *Blues

Significant artists include:*Scott Joplin *Aretha Franklin*Frank Sinatra *Led Zeppelin*The Beatles *Duke Ellington

*Elvis Presley *The Sugarhill Gang*Claude Debussy *Igor Stravinsky*Aaron Copland *Sergei Prokofiev

Relevant Timeframe• 1900 – Buddy Bolden invents jazz.• 1902 – Claude Debussy introduces

impressionism to music.• 1904 – The London Symphony

Orchestra is established.• 1910 – Igor Stravinsky completes The

Firebird for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Stravinsky will become one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.

• 1933 – Laurens Hammond introduces his Hammond organ.

• 1936 – Electric guitar debuts.

• 1956 – Elvis Presley emerges as one of the world’s first rock stars.

• 1963 – A wave of Beatlemania (The Beatles) hits the U.K. The Rolling Stones emerge as the anti-Beatles.

• 1964 – Bob Dylan becomes popular with his “Folk” music.

• 1973 – Reggae music becomes popular• 1977 – Saturday Night Fever sparks the disco inferno.• 1978 – Sony introduces the Walkman, the first

portable stereo• 2003 – Apple Computer introduces Apple iTunes

Music Store, which allows people to download songs for 99 cents each.

Where Movements Originated

The Modern Era of music evolved from the late Romantic and

Impressionist periods as a result of the experimental efforts of such composers as Claude Debussy, and Richard Strauss (Kamien, 2002).

How Society Was InvolvedMusic has now become a big part of society, because of radio broadcasts,

recordings, and access to music that can be played in homes. At the beginning of the Modern Period, these new styles of music were not accepted by people, so

music was mostly performed by composers at concerts. Women also became more active in music as virtuoso soloists, and educators. While men were in wars, women joined the orchestras as conductors and players. Today, American universities and

colleges are now expanding music by educating students. In fact, these universities, colleges are now what the nobility and churches were in the past.

Modern Period Dance

Modern Period DanceThe modern period of dance began in the late 1800’s and ended in the mid 20th century. After the early 1960’s, the next era was known as Post Modern Dance. Modern dance had three distinct periods known as Early Modern, Central Modern, and Late Modern, which will be explained in more detail later in the presentation.(Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2012). It evolved with experimenting with new ways to move the body, including movement of the torso, which had not been done before, older dance movements were more like the waltz and had steps with more “stiff” movements. Ballet was also more about structured steps, unlike modern dance.

Defining Characteristics• Encourages dancers to use emotions in dance• Rejecting the strict structure of ballet• A more “free style” of dancing• More bodily movement, bending at torso• Dancing barefoot as opposed to ballet shoes• Using gravity, not always light on their feet like in ballet(graphic from shutterstock.com).

Significant ArtistsThere were many artists from Europe and America that basically created modern dance. Many of the American artists/dancers performed and taught in Europe. Familiar names in modern dance are: Isadora Duncan, Loie Fuller, Ted Shawn, Martha Graham, Katherine Dunham, Lester Horton, Charles Weidman, Jose Limon, Pearl Primus, Anna Sokolow, Anna Halprin, and Paul Taylor. (www.infoplease.com)

(Pictures from google images).

Relevant Timeframe for Modern Dance

• 1880-1923: Known as the Early Modern Period. Known as “New Dance or Free Dance and Romanticism”. Isadora Duncan is from this period.

• 1923-1946: Known as the Central Modern Period. Many wanted to find the American way of moving. Martha Graham is from this period.

• 1946-1960: Known as the Late Modern Period. Led into the Post Modern and Contemporary Dance periods. Jose Limon and Paul Taylor are from this period.

Origination of Modern DanceModern dance originated in Europe and the United States in the late 19th century. It evolved from the strict structure of ballet and the Impressionist Era.

Historical Events of the Time, and How Society was Involved. Arts were interrelated.

Major events included WWI and WWII, the stock market crash in 1929, and The Great Depression. Many were looking for new and modern ways to express themselves or new ways to be entertained. During the modern period, music, dance, drama, and even visual art was changing. Society wanted to be entertained and looked for more upbeat and fun ways to be entertained due to what was going on in the world around them. In music, jazz, the blues, swing motown, and rockabilly evolved during this time. Dance also evolved and became more freestyle and not as rigid as in the past. Plays included new modern dance along with music of the time. Visual art was becoming more daring and “provocative” at the time. The world was changing in a huge way and the arts were evolving with those changes.

References• Baker, H.A. (1987). Modernism and the Harlem Renaissance. Chicago, IL:

University of Chicago Press. • Kamien, R. (2002). Music: An appreciation. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.• Beginnings of Modern Dance. (2012). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Retrieved from www.google.com• www.infoplease.com History of Modern Dance (2010). Retrieved on March 25th, 2016 • Cohen, T. (2016). Theatre: Brief Version. Retrieved from

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0767430077/student_view0/chapter8/index.html • MoMA Learning. (2016). What is Modern Art?. Retrieved from

https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/themes/what-is-modern-art/popular-culture

• Narey, W. (n.d.) Modern and Contemporary Drama: ENG 3433 Retrieved from http://www.clt.astate.edu/wnarey/modern_contemporary_drama.htm