noun
- Plural of atonality; the absence of a tonal center or key in music; a compositional technique that avoids traditional harmonic relationships.
Usage: music; technical
Examples
- The composer's works explored various atonalities throughout the twentieth century.
- Modern classical music often employs atonalities to break free from traditional harmonic structures.
- Students of music theory study atonalities as part of contemporary composition techniques.
- The piece's use of atonalities created an unsettling, dissonant atmosphere.
- Schoenberg and Berg were pioneers in developing atonalities in their compositions.