atonal

Dictionary: a·ton·al (ā-tō'nəl) pronunciation

adj. Music.

Lacking a tonal center or key; characterized by atonality.

atonally a·ton'al·ly adv.

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Music Encyclopedia: Atonal

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Term applied to music that is not tonal, i.e. not in a key. The term is in some circumstances avoided for music that is serial; and it is sometimes reserved for the post-tonal but pre-serial music of the Second Viennese School (Schoenberg, Berg and Webern). The term ‘pantonal’ is occasionally used in the same sense.

Music: Atonal

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Music that lacks a tonal center, or in which all pitches carry equal importance.

WordNet: atonal

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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The adjective has one meaning:

Meaning #1: (music) characterized by avoidance of traditional Western tonality
Synonym: unkeyed
Antonym: tonal (meaning #2)

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	atonalist
	Colin Matthews (Classical Artist)
	Boulez, Pierre (French conductor and composer of atonal)

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		Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
		Music Encyclopedia. The Concise Grove Dictionary of Music. Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.. All rights reserved. Read more
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		WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more