The Challenge of the 20th Century

Creative musicians could not all be comfortable writing music with rhythm and harmonies Brahms would have been comfortable with and neither are many concert goers. The majority of concert goers even in the 21st Century are comfortable only with what Brahms was comfortable with.

The challenge is to go beyond 19th Century tonality and make music that moves ordinary people. Interestingly rock in the late 20th Century can do both. Meanwhile there is great modern jazz and modern classical music which only appeals to a select few. It takes much listening to make people comfortable with the new idioms this music employs.