Final answer:
True, Modernism in music rejected the idea of beauty as the primary goal and replaced it with innovation and experimentation, often aiming to shock or provoke audiences. The movement favored personal expression and sought to reflect the complexities of the modern world.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is true; Modernism began rejecting beauty as the defining component of musical art, replacing it with other elements like shock. In the early twentieth century, some composers sought to defy traditional musical expectations by altering scales, notes, and tempos. The movement sought to reject established authority in various domains, from visual arts to music, and embraced skepticism toward post-Victorian morals and beliefs.
Artists in the Modernist era pursued new forms of expression, often focusing on angst and turmoil, thus reflecting their personal experiences of a changing world. This shift was characterized by creations that did not necessarily convey clear moral messages but instead focused on innovation, such as atonal music and abstract art. The movement's rallying cry, Ezra Pound's "Make it new!", encapsulated its revolutionary spirit which permeated across art, literature, and the sciences.
In summary, Modernism brought forth an approach that valued experimentation and personal expression over the reproduction of traditional standards of beauty, harmony, or moral instruction. While some Modernist pieces became classics, others were more significant for their role in the history of art rather than widespread popular consumption.