Twelvetone

Twelve-tone, also written as twelve-tone or dodecaphonic, is a method of musical composition that uses all twelve pitch classes of the chromatic scale in a specific order before any pitch is repeated. Developed in the early 20th century, it is a core approach of the twelve-tone technique or serialism, and it played a central role in the move away from traditional tonal harmony.

The method centers on a tone row, a particular sequence of the twelve chromatic pitches. This row provides the principal material for a work. From it, a composer may generate numerous forms through transformations: transposition (shifting the row up or down), inversion (mirroring the intervals), retrograde (reversing the order), and retrograde inversion (combining both). These forms can be used in combination or layered with additional rows. Some composers also employ multiple simultaneous rows, a practice linked to more complex combinatorial techniques.

In practice, the twelve-tone system aims to minimize emphasis on a tonal center and functional harmony. Harmonic progressions are derived from the relationships within the tone row rather than traditional chord progressions. Rhythm, timbre, and dynamics often take on greater structural importance as the row governs melodic and sometimes harmonic organization.

History and influence: Arnold Schoenberg developed the approach in the 1920s, with subsequent refinements by his students Anton Webern and Alban Berg. The technique influenced many late 20th-century composers, including Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen, and became a foundational element for broader serialist and experimental movements. It remains a milestone in the study of atonal and post-tonal music.

See also: dodecaphony, serialism, tone row.