Final answer:
Arnold Schoenberg's atonal-Expressionist period involved experimentation with atonality and the creation of the twelve-tone technique, breaking away from traditional Western music scales and reflecting the broader Expressionist movement's focus on raw emotional expression.
Step-by-step explanation:
Arnold Schoenberg's Atonal-Expressionist Period
During Arnold Schoenberg's atonal-Expressionist period, he pioneered the use of atonality in music, which is a lack of a central key around which a composition is based. This was a significant break from the traditional scales that had been the foundation of Western music since the Renaissance. Schoenberg sought to challenge the listeners' expectations by using dissonance and unexpected notes. His twelve-tone technique was one of his most influential innovations during this period, essentially redefining the way music could be composed and understood.
Expressionism, as a broader movement, aimed to display the inner life of the artist through abstract and sometimes disturbing imagery. In music, Schoenberg's works reflected this objective by expressing the emotional experience and inner turmoil without adhering to the conventional harmonies and structures of the past. The movement, inclusive of art, literature, theatre, and music, sought to change social and political structures, starting in the early 20th century and continuing until the rise of the Nazis, who condemned it as 'degenerate.'
Overall, Schoenberg was a key figure in this movement, using his musical compositions as a form of emotional and intellectual expression that challenged societal norms and the conventional understanding of music.