Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951) examined classical composition and derived mathematical rules which he then carried beyond their previous bounds of application to invent the compositional form known as 12-tone, or dodecaphonic music. The collation of Schoenberg's compositional ideas is also called serialism with the 20/20 hindsight of academic jargon. Serialism is one musical antecedent of Phillip Glass and minimalism.

On January 15th, 2011, the Boulder Symphony will perform Arnold Schoenberg's 1906  Op. 9 chamber symphony for fifteen solo instruments. (Here's a nice recording of Op. 9 from the Schoenberg Center .)

Dodecaphony is an escape from the classical tone center, that is, from the notion of key signature and of resolution to a tonic. Instead dodecaphony substitutes the tone row.

Dodecaphonic music is sometimes poignant and evocative, sometimes obscure, and often structurally a great deal like churchbell change ringing.

Dodecaphonic music can at times be irritating. It's all well and good to proclaim a theoretical emancipation from the tyranny of consonance and major/minor triads. The practical result is enhanced prominence of fourths and tritones with attendant fatigue to the ear.

There are many intense melodic themes in Frank Zappa's composition - particularly those themes you might find "wacky", "noodly" or "over the top" - that Schoenberg would have recognized.

Of interest to the microtonalist, Schoenberg seems to have applied reductio ad absurdum to 12 tone even temperament. Like a newspaper comics character who absurdly becomes aware of the rectangular border around his panel and shoves against the border in existential despair, Schoenberg seems to strain the system so it can burst its bounds and grow out beyond 12 tone even temperament.