Debussy 1903 Flashcards
Context
20th century was a period of experimentation, excitement and exploration.
Cage and Saariaho, Aleatoric music
Stravinsky, Nationalistic music
Earlier, Impressionist music, emphasis on creating a hazy atmosphere
Paris World Exhibition 1889, Javanese gamelan ensemble
Grenada was the last seat in Spain of the Islamic emirs and has many reminders of its Moorish past
Melody
Short melodic ideas with pentatonicism Some are not pentatonic Use of the whole tone scale Moorish lament Spanish influences
Short melodic ideas with pentatonicism
P, 2 bar pentatonic phrase, developed with addition of 7b and triplets, emulate Javanese Gamelan Slendro (Just after, La Mer, Debussy, pentatonic scale)
Some are not pentatonic
P, non pentatonic counter melody, fusion of western and gamelan
LS, 4th theme, major mode with descent in A maj, fusion of western and spanish
Use of the whole tone scale
P, LS no note stands out, scalic whole tone idea, lengthy descent, create hazy Impressionistic mood
(After, Voiles, Debussy, entirely of 1 whole tone scale)
Moorish lament
LS, 2 bar phrases with min2, aug2, reminiscent of an evening in Grenada
Spanish influences
LS, 2nd theme is very chordal with spread chord at the end, similar to a guitar strum
(Same, String quartet, Ravel, 2 bar theme in pizz)
Harmony
Non functional, no cadences Pentatonic harmonization Extended, added chords with slow harmonic rhythm Pedal points Parallel chords False relations
Pentatonic harmonisation
P, Begining, perfect 5ths, gonglike, resonant
Just after, Lune, Debussy, produced bell like sounds my using 2nds
Extended, added chords with slow harmonic rhythm
P, beginning, low pitched open 5ths with added 7ths
(After, Concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra, Poulenc, extended chords, characteristic of Impressionism)
Create a hazy atmosphere, characteristic of Impressionism, avoid straightforward triads, recreate gamelan harmonies
Pedal points
LS, beginning, open 5th C#, inverted at b5 (After, Prelude, Debussy, for 30 measures, uses them more than other Western composers) Produce a resonant, hazy sound, characteristic of Impressionism
Parallel chords
LSDG, parallel 7ths
(Before, Sirenes, Debussy, parallel minor 9th between pizz strings, wind) Characteristic of Debussy
False relations
LSDG, b52, E natural in LH, E# in RH, Obscure tonality, create hazy, misty mood
Texture
Varied use of texture in both pieces Layered 3 part homophony Homophony 2 part counterpoint Brief imitation
Layered 3 part homophony
P, Gong like drone, moderately moving countermelody, fast moving main theme on top, reminiscent of gamelan ensemble,
(Just after, La Mer, 1st mv, Debussy, layered in a similar way)
LS, Start with a habanera rhythm and octave pedal, then the theme, build an atmosphere which is reminiscent of Spain
Homophony
LS, melody in octaves, develops the small melodic fragments
After, Poulenc, concerto for 2 pianos, orchestra
2 part counterpoint
P, in octaves, develop small melodic fragments
Brief imitation
P, tourjours anime, in contrary motion, develop small melodic fragments
Tonality
Use of tonal centers instead of clear maj/min keys
Whole tone melody weekend tonal argument
Modes
Use of tonal centers instead of clear maj/min keys
P, 5#=Bmaj or G#min, however B is merely a tonal center, Javanese music does not use Western key systems
(Before, Satie, Gnossienes, tonal centers)
LS, pedals give tonal center, C#, F#, A, hazy impression
Whole tone melody weakens tonal argument
In both pieces, ambiguous tonality, hazy atmosphere
Just after, La Mer, Debussy, uses whole tone, pentatonism and chromaticism, making the tonality ambiguous
Use of modes
LS, interruptions in triple time in C Mixolydian and A Mixolydian, weakens the tonal argument, hazy mood
(Same, String quartet, Ravel, theme in Aeolian mode)
Sonority
Extensive piano range Sus pedal Una corda Cross hands Piano performance techniques Predominantly quiet dynamics
Extensive piano range
Both use almost full range of piano used to develop short melodies
P, lowest B, highest A# (After, Poulenc, concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra, sim range)
LSDG, lowest C#, highest C#
Sus pedal
P, Washes of sound
(After, La Puerto del vino, Debussy, gong like sounds in bass)
Produce a hazy atmosphere, obscure metre, similar to the resonant gongs, gamelan uses hammers, make the piano sound like it does not have hammers
LS, Used during lointain markings, distant and hazy
Una corda
P, contributes to characteristic timbre, creates a softer, muffled sound
(Before, Gymnopedie No 2, large amount marked for una corda)
Cross hands
P, LS, to cover the entire range of the piano
Piano performance techniques
LS, spread chords (Same, String quartet, mv 2, Ravel, guitar like pizz) similar to the Spanish guitar
LS, Staccato articulation on habanera rhythm,
Predominantly quiet dynamics
P, Get louder as the number of parts increase, like in gamelan ensembles
LS, Predominantly quiet, especially during lointain sections, hazy, creates a sense of distance
Tempo, rhythm and metre
Frequent tempo changes
Gamelan-like rhythms
Spanish influenced rhythms
Contrasting metre changes
Frequent tempo changes
P, Moderement anime, with frequent rit sections, speeds vary within a gamelan performance
(Just after, La Mer, Debussy, very frequent tempo markings ranging from tres lent to assez anime)
LS, frequent changes from rubato, retenu, tempo guisto, very fluid, like improvisation that is important in flamenco styles
Gamelan like rhythms
P, Long gong sounds in bass, tied notes over bar lines, emulates low gamelan gongs
P, LS, Syncopation, triplets, quintuplets
(Just after, La Mer, Debussy, frequent triplets in the 2nd mv, 1st vln)
Cross rhythms (Same, String quartet, mv 2, Ravel cross rhythms in the feel of 3/4 against quavers in 6/8), all to obscure the metre, make it hazy and unclear
Spanish influenced rhythms
LS, habanera rhythm used throughout
(After, La Puerto del vino, Debussy, habanera style accompaniment) spanish inflections, characteristic fo Impressionism
Metre changes for contrast
P, 4/4, 2 bars of 2/4
(Same, String quartet, mv 2, Ravel cross rhythms in the feel of 3/4 against quavers in 6/8)
LSDG, 2/4 switch to 3/4 unexpectedly, 2/4 used in Habaneras, 3/4 for contrast (Before, Bizet’s Carmen, Habanera)
Structure
P, Ternary with coda
LS, sectionalized loosely by melody
P, Ternary with coda
(After, Concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra, Poulenc, Ternary 1st and 3rd mv), to bring the piece together
LS, sectionalized loosely by melody
(Same, String Quartet, 2nd mv, Ravel. similar structure)
Aims to create an impression of an evening in Grenada
