twelve tone or bust?

I believe that tonality does have a place in 20th Century music, as some of my favorite composers of that period never abandoned it. For example I adore Martinu, Janacek, Hindemith and so many more. Take William Schuman's works...he never abandoned tonality but instead, in his later works, wrote in a bi-tonal style. Bartok wrote his works utilizing the whole-tone scale, which he found in the folk music of his homeland. Hindemith, in his early years, incorporated jazz influences found so common in Berlin of the 20's. Vaughan-Williams, in some of his works looked back to the different modes more common of the Medieval and Renaissance periods. There are so many other cases too numerous to mention. I commend them all!

Composition graduates are coming out of universities with attitudes that are too conservative. While it is fine to compose in an "ancient" way, I would expect that they would at least look back to Berg or Schoenberg for inspiration. Atonality is not dead! While serialism can be an end unto itself, it could adapt. Perhaps the finest example of adaption is Schoenberg's marvelous "Serenade, opus 24". The work is atonal and it is the composer's first attempt at incorporating serial techniques. Fortunately for us the composer did not serialize the rhythm and did repeat melodic fragments. Tough to listen to....sure, but what a desirable experience to get to know the treasures found in this incredible masterwork! Abandoning tonality would be a loss, as many a composer has rekindled interest in using it in their works. Spend time with Penderecki or Rochberg to discover that atonality and tonality can exist side by side without sounding like a "John Williams" soundtrack style symphony. I'm afraid that the new compositions being heard in the concert halls, on the radio and in recordings sound far too derivative and half the time I expect a T-Rex or Luke Skywalker to appear!