Debussy 1903

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Melody

Answer 2

Short melodic ideas with pentatonicism
Some are not pentatonic
Use of the whole tone scale
Moorish lament
Spanish influences

Question 3

Short melodic ideas with pentatonicism

Answer 3

P, 2 bar pentatonic phrase, developed with addition of 7b and triplets, emulate Javanese Gamelan Slendro (Just after, La Mer, Debussy, pentatonic scale)

Question 4

Some are not pentatonic

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Use of the whole tone scale

Answer 5

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)

Question 6

Moorish lament

Answer 6

LS, 2 bar phrases with min2, aug2, reminiscent of an evening in Grenada

Question 7

Spanish influences

Answer 7

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)

Question 8

Harmony

Answer 8

Non functional, no cadences
Pentatonic harmonization 
Extended, added chords with slow harmonic rhythm
Pedal points
Parallel chords
False relations

Question 9

Pentatonic harmonisation

Answer 9

P, Begining, perfect 5ths, gonglike, resonant

Just after, Lune, Debussy, produced bell like sounds my using 2nds

Question 10

Extended, added chords with slow harmonic rhythm

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Pedal points

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Parallel chords

Answer 12

LSDG, parallel 7ths

(Before, Sirenes, Debussy, parallel minor 9th between pizz strings, wind) Characteristic of Debussy

Question 13

False relations

Answer 13

LSDG, b52, E natural in LH, E# in RH, Obscure tonality, create hazy, misty mood

Question 14

Texture

Answer 14

Varied use of texture in both pieces
Layered 3 part homophony
Homophony
2 part counterpoint
Brief imitation

Question 15

Layered 3 part homophony

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Homophony

Answer 16

LS, melody in octaves, develops the small melodic fragments

After, Poulenc, concerto for 2 pianos, orchestra

Question 17

2 part counterpoint

Answer 17

P, in octaves, develop small melodic fragments

Question 18

Brief imitation

Answer 18

P, tourjours anime, in contrary motion, develop small melodic fragments

Question 19

Tonality

Answer 19

Use of tonal centers instead of clear maj/min keys
Whole tone melody weekend tonal argument
Modes

Question 20

Use of tonal centers instead of clear maj/min keys

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Whole tone melody weakens tonal argument

Answer 21

In both pieces, ambiguous tonality, hazy atmosphere

Just after, La Mer, Debussy, uses whole tone, pentatonism and chromaticism, making the tonality ambiguous

Question 22

Use of modes

Answer 22

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)

Question 23

Sonority

Answer 23

Extensive piano range
Sus pedal
Una corda
Cross hands
Piano performance techniques
Predominantly quiet dynamics

Question 24

Extensive piano range

Answer 24

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#

Question 25

Sus pedal

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Una corda

Answer 26

P, contributes to characteristic timbre, creates a softer, muffled sound
(Before, Gymnopedie No 2, large amount marked for una corda)

Question 27

Cross hands

Answer 27

P, LS, to cover the entire range of the piano

Question 28

Piano performance techniques

Answer 28

LS, spread chords (Same, String quartet, mv 2, Ravel, guitar like pizz) similar to the Spanish guitar
LS, Staccato articulation on habanera rhythm,

Question 29

Predominantly quiet dynamics

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Tempo, rhythm and metre

Answer 30

Frequent tempo changes
Gamelan-like rhythms
Spanish influenced rhythms
Contrasting metre changes

Question 31

Frequent tempo changes

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Gamelan like rhythms

Answer 32

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

Question 33

Spanish influenced rhythms

Answer 33

LS, habanera rhythm used throughout

(After, La Puerto del vino, Debussy, habanera style accompaniment) spanish inflections, characteristic fo Impressionism

Question 34

Metre changes for contrast

Answer 34

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)

Question 35

Structure

Answer 35

P, Ternary with coda

LS, sectionalized loosely by melody

Question 36

P, Ternary with coda

Answer 36

(After, Concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra, Poulenc, Ternary 1st and 3rd mv), to bring the piece together

Question 37

LS, sectionalized loosely by melody

Answer 37

(Same, String Quartet, 2nd mv, Ravel. similar structure)

Aims to create an impression of an evening in Grenada