Expressionism
A different way of sublime music is the contrary of impressionism - expressionism, a term that entered with Arnold Schoenberg:
Expressionism is intensified Romanticism, the exploration of inner states. All Expressionistic art and music are very serious. Expressionism avoids the superficially pretty and attempts to transcend nature. It often deals with social commentary, psychological commentary, the soul, the psyche, the subconscious... Where the impressionists tried to evoke an ideal state through transparent and sensuous textures, and an avoidance of black pigments (“Black does not exist in nature”),” From “The Lives of Great Composers” by Harold C. Schoenberg
Expressionism is called “exploration of inner states”, which hints in the right direction, but writer, similarly as with impressionism, fails to reach the bottom of the thing and put things straight and simple. It is not clear enough where is the difference between impressionism and expressionism.
The difference is, that while impressionism is expression of what we feel – it is perception orientated, a reflection of my feelings and experience of the outside world, e_xpressionism is expression of what we _will – a reflection of my will, of my personality; therefore, unlike impressionism, expressionism is personal and corresponds to some unrepeatable act of will.
- While impressionism presents impressions of something outside of author through music, even if author’s own impression of it, expressionism is the direct expression of his personality and his current life state.
It is implied that expressionism is more serious than impressionism; it is certainly more mature, and also more masculine, and it can be claimed that expressionistic side of music is the higher one. Where impressionistic music is addressing our receptive side – that is to the child and feminine side of ours, metaphysically speaking, expressionistic music is addressing our active side – that is, metaphysically speaking, to our adult and masculine side. It is also generally more dramatically full; where impressionistic music has a laid-back quality, making a world of it’s own in which a listener is immersed, expressionistic music is music of powerful drive, that “jumps” on a listener and has the ability to move him where he stands, without requiring change of his mood and high level of empathizing, on which impressionistic music is necessarily depending. From this side, expressionistic music is more accessible than impressionistic. But from the other side, while unlike impressionistic music it does not require from a listener to immerse himself in the music, almost reverting to baby-state, it is inviting a listener to emphasize self-consciousness if he is to grasp the intention of the author/performer. In expressionistic music, a listener is expected to be mature himself and to have high order of ability of reading into the intention behind what is happening, rather than what is literary happening - since expressionistic music is a trace of will itself rather than a concrete feeling or object. Unlike impressionistic music, expressionistic music is music of individuality and personality – both on the side of musician and audiences. On the formal level, while impressionistic music is characterized by emphasis on the vertical – harmonic language, and that includes detailed orchestration, expressionistic music is more towards horizontal – rhythm and melody, and is in nature solo music. Also, while impressionistic music is principally meant solely for listening, expressionistic is more meant to be performed.
Example of expressionism is mentioned Arnold Schoenberg with his 12-tone expressionism, and much of romantic music, like Beethoven’s piano sonatas.
Of course, the ideal is music to have both these sides. Such balance can be seen in Beethoven's symphonies, like his famous 5th symphony (“death knocking at the door”), which sounds, if so may be said, like “expressionism of the world”.