On The Expressive Characteristics Of The Western Avant-garde Chorus

Researches specialized on the chorus of Avant-garde are rare in the west, and even fewer in China. This paper attempts to gain knowledge of Avant-garde chorus via the illustration of the expressive characteristics of the Avant-garde chorus so as to enrich and prosper the chorus of contemporary China by studying the Avant-garde chorus and resorting to its positive aspect. From three main perspectives, namely the developmental status of Avant-garde chorus, the major expressive characteristics as well as the reasons concerned. This article is divided into three sections. In the first section, I mainly elaborate on the concept of Avant-garde chorus and its origin meanwhile based on the sketch of its composers as well as their works, I make an understanding of the developmental status of the Avant-garde chorus. In the second section, which is regarded as the core of the article, I summarize the characteristics of Avant-garde chorus in comparison to traditional chorus and analyze on them through reviewing the documents and emsemble. In the third section, I reveal the profound reasons through the analysis on the social environment after World War II, the music conceptions as well as the chorusstatus. I argue that because the chorus of Avant-garde and traditional chorus are two completely different art forms, the analysis of the Avant-garde chorus should be based on the objectivity instead of the standing point of traditional chorus . Even though the chorus of Avant-garde has discarded the composing ideology and expressing forms completely, and it is quite radical even extreme, it is sure to bring certain reference and push for the development and creation of the traditional chorus.