neoclassicism
A 20th-century musical movement that drew on the forms, textures, and aesthetic ideals of earlier periods, particularly the Baroque and Classical eras.
In Depth
Neoclassicism emerged after World War I as composers reacted against both late Romantic excess and expressionist extremism. Igor Stravinsky became its leading figure with works like the Octet (1923) and Symphony of Psalms (1930), which employ Baroque counterpoint, Classical forms, and transparent textures while incorporating modern harmonies and rhythms.
The movement represented not mere nostalgia but a creative reimagining of historical models through a modern lens. Other notable neoclassicists include Sergei Prokofiev, Paul Hindemith, and Francis Poulenc. Stravinsky described his approach as looking at the past through a modern window — the forms were old, but the harmonic language, rhythmic energy, and emotional sensibility were unmistakably 20th-century.
Stravinsky's Pulcinella (1920), based on music he believed was by Pergolesi, is often cited as the work that launched neoclassicism — though much of the source material turned out to be by other composers.