atonalism

American  

[ey-tohn-l-iz-uhm] / eɪˈtoʊn lˌɪz əm /

noun

Music.

1. atonality.

2. a note, phrase, etc., that seems harsh or discordant.

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Other Word Forms

• atonalist noun

Etymology

Origin of atonalism

First recorded in 1925–30; atonal + -ism

Example Sentences

Mr. Lees’s work defied tidy pigeonholing, in part because he shunned musical styles, like atonalism and minimalism, that were practically de rigueur among 20th-century composers.

From New York Times • Jun. 4, 2010

After it, Schoenberg was to begin the experiments with atonalism that eventually determined the direction of 20th century music.

From Time Magazine Archive

But in this concerto, his atonalism is for once eloquent and heartfelt; it is Composer Berg's elegy on the death of his friend Manon Gropius, daughter of famed Architect Walter Gropius.

From Time Magazine Archive

He founded a school of cacophony which resulted in atonalism, and then, like his friend Picasso in art, left his school behind.

From Time Magazine Archive