Serialism

In the music theory of European classical music serialism is a set of methods for composing and analyzing works of music based on structuring those works around the parameterization of parts of music: that is, ordering pitch, dynamics, instrumentation, rhythm, and on occasion other elements into a row or series in which each gradation is assigned a numerical value within that series. In its strict definition each pitch, dynamic, colour or rhythmic element should only be used in its order in the series and used only once until the series repeats. The terms total serialism, integral serialism, and multiple serialism describe music which is serial in several parameters.

Important composers

• Milton Babbitt
• Jean Barraqué
• Alban Berg
• Luciano Berio
• Pierre Boulez
• Luigi Dallapiccola
• Brian Ferneyhough
• Roberto Gerhard
• Karel Goeyvaerts
• Bill Hopkins
• György Ligeti
• Bruno Maderna
• Luigi Nono
• Krzysztof Penderecki
• Henri Pousseur
• George Rochberg
• Arnold Schoenberg
• Humphrey Searle
• Roger Sessions
• Leopold Spinner
• Karlheinz Stockhausen
• Igor Stravinsky - late period only
• Anton von Webern
• Hugo Weisgall