Ms. McConnell’s
Music Literature
THE UNIVERSTIY OF AKRON
December 7, 2004
Schedule for Today
• Review time periods
•
•
we have learned thus
far.
Impressionism
Claude Debussy:
Short biography and
hear certain pieces of
his work
First, we need to review the time
periods we learned.
ERA
YEAR
Baroque
1600-1750
Classical
1750-1825
Romantic
1820-1900
Post- Romantic
1890-1910
What are few important points
about Post-Romantic music?
• Extended from 1890-1910
• Bridge Between Romanticism and
twentieth century
• Impressionism also affected the music
around this Era.
What is impressionism?
• “Freshness of first impressions”
• Applies to Art and Music of this period
Impressionism in the Arts
• “Hazy and Luminous
•
•
paintings”
They liked to paint the
“continuous change in the
appearance” of objects.
Same objects painted
repeatedly at different
hours of the day. (Machlis
and Forney pg. 480)
Impressionism in Music
• Gave rise in France, and it went beyond
major and minor keys.
• Focused much on intervals such as fourths
and fifths.
• Ninth chords were used frequently.
• Used dissonance
• Whole-tone scale
• Parallel chords -found in Music by Debussy
But, why is the music considered
impressionism like art?
• “Impressionist music
wavers between major
and minor without
adhering to either. It
hovers in a borderland
between keys, creating
elusive effects that might
be compared to the misty
outlines of Impressionist
paintings.” ( Machlis and
Forney pg. 482)
Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
• He was a brilliant
•
•
composer from
France.
He created harmonies
different from what
was used previously.
He went beyond the
major and minor rules
that was given to
music.
The Life of Claude Debussy
• Born in St.
•
•
Germainen-Laye,
France
Went to school at the
Paris Conservatory at
the age of 11.
Composed opera,
vocal and chamber,
orchestral, and piano
works.
More on Claude Debussy
• 1890’s was one of the • “Can neither laugh
•
•
most successful
decades for Debussyopera “Pelleas and
Melisande.”
How the war in 1914
and cancer affected
his view on music.
Debussy died in 1918
during Paris bombing.
nor weep while so
many of our men
heroically face death.”
(Machlis and Forney
pg. 486)
Debussy’s passion for music
contributed highly to why his music
corresponds with impressionism.
• “The music I desire must be supple
enough to adapt itself to the lyrical
effusions of the soul and the fantasy of
dreams.” - Debussy
• A listener can visualize certain colors from
his music. He paints a picture through his
music.
Famous Debussy pieces
• “The Afternoon of a Faun” (Orchestral
work)
• “Clair de Lune” and “Pour le Piano” (piano
works)
• “L’enfant Prodigue” (Choral work)
Pour Le Piano (Mvt. II Sarabande)
• Try to hear how this
•
piece paints a picture
in your head just as
“hazy and luminous”
as these paintings by
Edgar Degas and
Claude Monet.
Raise your hand when
you hear examples of
planing in this piece.
Review of Important points
• Post-Romantic Era 1890•
•
•
•
1910
Bridge between Romantic
and Twentieth century
music.
Impressionism occurred
during this time period.
Impressionism affected
both the arts and music.
Claude Debussy is the
perfect example of an
impressionist composer.
Goals for next class
• Learn about the composer Maurice Ravel
and his music.
• Quiz on the elements of impressionist
music. (HINT!!! Read your music literature
books pg. 481-491)
• Start learning early twentieth century
music.
HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!
REFERENCES
• The Enjoyment of Music: Eighth Edition,
Joseph Machlis and Kristine Forney: W.W.
Norton & Company, Inc. 1999