Music A-Level
Minimalism
What Minimalism means in Music A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of Minimalism
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Reference: AQA
An aesthetic associated with composers who utilised additive and subtractive processes to slowly alter repeated patterns, creating a hypnotic or evolving soundscape.
A movement in which composers use repeating motifs over a single drone or slowly changing chords, with static harmony as a hallmark.
A composition style with which note addition and subtraction are associated, creating a sense of gradual transformation over time.
A style of music associated with phasing, developed in the 1960s by composers such as Steve Reich.
A movement in art music since 1910 in which looping is a fundamental technique.
Topics that use Minimalism
- Area of study 7: Art music since 1910 - Musical elements (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- 20th-century chord structures
- 20th-century compositional techniques
- 20th-century rhythmic innovation
- A cappella
- Additive and subtractive processes
- Alternatives to functional tonality
- Atonality
- Atonality and tonality
Using Minimalism in the exam
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