Abstract:
Two main texts have guided this study: New music, outmoded music, style and idea, written by Arnold SCHOENBERG (1977b)23 ______. (1977b) "La musique nouvelle, la musique démodée, le style et l'idée". In: STEIN, Leonard (Org.). Le style et l'idée. Paris: Editions Buchet/Chastel, p.93-103. in 1946, and System and idea, written by Pierre BOULEZ (1986)7 ______. (1986) "Le système et l'idée". Inharmonique: Le temps des mutations 1. Paris, vol.1, 1-30. in 1986. Firstly, the concept of 'musical idea' is dealt with in several of Schonberg's texts. The concept is then confronted with an analysis of Schoenberg's Prelude Op. 25 elaborated by Jack BOSS (2014)3 BOSS, JACK. (2014) Schoenberg's twelve tone music: simetry and the musical idea. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.. This analysis raises perception issues that lead to Boulez's text. This last text is approached with a focus on the relation between the 'musical idea' and the 'system', in connection with the Second Viennese School, and then with his own aesthetics. This article works on how these two concepts are articulated in the reflections of these two composers, who greatly influenced the directions of the transformation of musical language in the 20th century, and who are clearly located in a line of connection and continuity.
Keywords:
system in Arnold Schoenberg; system in Pierre Boulez; musical idea and composition; Schoenberg's Prelude Op. 25
