Jonathan Kramer: Post Modern Music Theory

Media Theorist Jonathan Kramer says "the idea that postmodernism is less a surface style or historical period than an attitude. Kramer goes on to say 16 "characteristics of postmodern music, by which I mean music that is understood in a postmodern manner, or that calls forth postmodern listening strategies, or that provides postmodern listening experiences, or that exhibits postmodern compositional practices."
According to Kramer (Kramer 2002, 16–17), postmodern music":

• is not simply a rejection of modernism or it's continuation, but has aspects of a both a break & extention
• is in some way ironic
• does not respect boundaries between the past & present
• challenges barriers between 'high' and 'low' styles (class & culture)
• shows disdain for the value of structural unity
• questions class prejudices
• avoids total forms (one dimensional forms)
• considers music as relevant to cultural, social & political contexts
• includes quotations of or references to to music of many traditions & cultures
• considers technology in it's production & essence
• embraces contradictions
• distrusts binary oppositions
• includes fragmentations
• is eclectic
• presents multiple meanings
• locates meaning in listeners