atonische

Atonische is a German term used in musicology to describe works or passages that do not establish or rely on a tonal center or key system. In its narrow sense it refers to music where functional harmony aiming toward a tonic is absent, and in a broader sense it designates styles that do not use traditional major–minor tonality.

Etymologically, it is formed from the prefix a- meaning without and ton(ality), reflecting the lack of a defined tonal center. The term is commonly used in German-language scholarship and is closely related to the English word atonal.

Historically, atonality emerged in the early 20th century as composers rejected the idea that musical meaning depended on a fixed key. It is most associated with the Second Viennese School—Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern—whose early works moved from late-Romantic chromaticism toward both free atonality and later serial techniques. Free atonality describes music without a consistent tonal goal, while twelve-tone serialism (tone rows) provides an organized method for avoiding tonality.

Techniques and characteristics typical of atonische music include the absence of a stable tonic, non-functional chord progressions, and an emphasis on texture, timbre, rhythm, and pitch-class organization rather than traditional harmonic goals. Some pieces use free atonality, others employ systematic methods like serialism, but not all non-tonal music is serialized.

Impact and scope: atonische music reshaped Western art music by redefining harmony and form. It is used to describe a range of approaches that move beyond traditional tonality, from free atonality to fully articulated serial systems, and it remains a central concept in discussions of modernist music.