After World War I, many experimental schools and trends of thought appeared in Western music (such as Italian "Futurism", Czech composer A. Haba's microtonal music, etc.), On the other hand, some important composers have experienced a relatively stable style development process. New aesthetic concepts and musical thinking emerge one after another. From the early 1920s to the 1950s, neoclassicism was arguably the most influential music genre.

In terms of aesthetic trends, neoclassicism not only denies the title and subjectivity of romantic music, but also denies the exaggerated illusions and expressions of late romanticism and the expressionism it derived from. Neoclassicism advocates that music creation does not need to reflect chaotic society and politics, and advocates taking a "neutral" or "art first" stance; creation should return to "classics" and "an era further away from Bach", There is the pure beauty of music (not mixed with poetry or painting, etc.); the composer should get rid of subjectivity and reproduce the classical even and balanced forms with modern techniques with calm objectivity. Neoclassicism, which as a system had an impact on later generations, is represented by Italian composer F. Busoni and Russian composer I.F. Stravinsky. Busoni believed that music should maintain a strict objective spirit and neutral attitude, and classical counterpoint techniques and classical forms such as Partita, Concerto Grosso, Toccata, Passacaglia and Richerka were the practices of this theory The best way. After Stravinsky published his "Return to Bach" manifesto in a British magazine in 1927, he set off a craze for neoclassicism. Neoclassicism, advocated by Busoni and Stravinsky, has had a profound influence on many outstanding modern composers. The early "String Quartet" and "Violin Sonata No. 1" written by A. Honegger of the French Six-piece Ensemble, as well as the later "Chamber Concerto", "Unaccompanied Violin Sonata", "Acai Suite" and other works, There are obvious neoclassical characteristics in the concept and structure of music. The profound content and elegant and intellectual expression methods of his symphonies all reflect classical characteristics. D. Milhaud, another composer of the Six-member Ensemble, although his early works were influenced by the late Romantics, among them, the "Piano Sonata" (1916), the symphonic suite "Proud", and the piano collection "Soldado de Brasil" "(1919~1920), six miniature "Sinfonies" and the middle and late "Spring Concerto", "Piano Concerto", "Violin, Clarinet and Piano Suite" (1936), "French Suite", No. 14~ The 16 string quartets, as well as many symphonies and piano concertos, all have obvious neoclassical characteristics. Many works of F. Poulenc in the middle period, such as "French Suite" (1936), "Concerto for Two Pianos", "Concerto for Orchestra in G Minor" (1939), "Piano and Wind Sextet", "Piano, Oboe and Bassoon trio" can be included in this category.

Although P. Hindemith of Germany is known as the representative of New Objectivism, he established a new system in harmony theory. But he never strayed far away from traditional tonality and harmonic organization. He used fresh and sophisticated counterpoint techniques to write many modern fugues. He is good at combining classical genres with new musical vocabulary. Hungary’s B. Bartók and Z. Kodaly were both neo-nationalists. The former applied national musical themes, but he did not simply copy them. Instead, he decomposed key, rhythm, melody and other elements and carefully integrated them. into its own unique musical grammar. His "Music for String Instruments, Percussion and Celesta" (1936), "Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion", "Violin Sonata", "Piano Concerto No. 3" and "Orchestra Concerto" are all A typical work of neoclassicism. While using Mazar folk songs, Kodaly strived to make the language and melody closely integrated and approachable. For example, the orchestral suite "Harry Janos", "Garanta", "Orchestral Concerto", String Quartet No. 1 and No. 2, and "Unaccompanied Cello Sonata" are his representatives.

Prokofiev and Shostakovich of the Soviet Union combined modern, national and social ideas with classical serious and rational thinking. Combined together, they greatly expanded the scope of neoclassical music style.

Although the French composer Ravel had a very colorful orchestration, he made extensive use of ancient and exotic modes such as Spain, China, Arabia, and Greece, and avoided natural scales and empty fourth and fifth intervals. And become a family of its own. But his ingenious technique, clear theme, classical three-chord harmony system, and respect for classical forms can also be classified as neoclassicism.