Elliott Carter

Paper Summary:

For over seventy years, Elliott Carter has been considered by many as one of the most important American composers of the twentieth century. This paper deals with the two distinct periods in Elliott Carter's career, using 1950 as a turning point. Several important works from each period are presented along with Carter's thoughts and his critics' reaction to his dramatic stylistic change. Other areas dealing with issues relating to contemporary music during from 1930 to 1980 are included.

From the Paper:

"Out of many conclusions that can be drawn from his music, only one clearly stands out above the rest. This aspect is the dramatic change in his philosophical approach to composition in the 1950's. One could even discuss this transformation at great length by noting the substantial differences between works such as Holiday Overture (1944) and String Quartet No. 1 (1950). With these comparisons (in addition to comparisons between other works), one can conclude that Elliott Carter has two distinctive periods. The first is an early period, extending from around 1936 to 1949, which comprises works written predominately in a tonal and accessible "style." The second, or late, period, extending from 1950 to the present, gives birth to new harmonic and rhythmic languages that would not only define his mature works, but also separate him from other modernists of his day. While it is important to explore all of his works from both periods with comprehensive detail, the primary focus here is to provide insight into his artistic metamorphosis by briefly illustrating the concepts, retrospective thoughts, and reception of his major works."

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