Debussy Flashcards
What does Estampes mean?
‘prints’ or ‘engravings’
When was it written?
1903
Why is it significant to Debussys style?
more Impressionistic
(pagodes) How does Debussy evoke oriental sounds?
pentatonicism
slow-moving harmonic changes
pedal
vibrant/rich washes of sound
(pagodes) When did Debussy first hear chinese Gamelan and what did he regard it as?
Paris world exhibition 1889
A means of breaking free from the contstraints of Europen music
(pagodes) what range of the piano is used?
Full
(pagodes) what’s impressionistic about the pedal?
Indications are sporadic
both una corda and sustain pedal used
no changes indicated
creates a merging effect
(pagodes) how do textures vary?
considerably in texture and type
(pagodes) how are sound qualities enhanced?
exploitation of the full dynamic range
(pagodes) are the textures complex?
yes
(pagodes) how did Debussy direct this piece to be performed?
‘moderement anime with the pulse subject to rubato seen from the numerous ritenutos
(pagodes) are the rhythms diverse?
yes
(pagodes) what technical features are associated with Debussys impressionistic approach?
syncopation tied notes triplets steady quavers quintuplets hetero/cross-rhythms gong like sounds in bass
(pagodes) what is the melody built up of?
two-bar phrases drawing on pentatonic structures
(pagodes) what is the first melodic line constructed of?
four pitches
Gsharp - Csharp - D - Fsharp
(pagodes) where is the fifth note of the pentatonic scale?
In the bass accompanying harmonic structure
B
(pagodes) describe the harmony
Non-functional
draws heavily on pentatonic material
(pagodes) describe the harmonic rhythm
slow
slight changes as part of the ‘changing background’ approach
(pagodes) what prominent landmarks are there?
B major with added 6th and flat. 7th B major Diminished triad Interval of major 2nd Pentatonic harmonisation
(pagodes) what is the final section underpinned by?
Slowly descending bass line, eventually settling on the tonic B
(pagodes) describe the structure
ternary form with coda
(pagodes) what is the key?
none
B tonal centre
(pagodes) what does gauche mean?
Left hand
(pagodes) what does main droile mean?
Right hand
(pagodes) what are the features of Gamelan?
Pentatonic scale imitating slendro scale pedal imitating gong upper melodies imitating xylophone varying speeds slow rhythms octaves
(pagodes) what are the features of Impressionism?
Moods and emotions avoided Blurred sounds throughout Extended harmonies Ambiguous tonality Parallel chords Added 6th
(grenade) what is the aim of the piece?
to evoke the character of Spain
(grenade) how does he evoke the character of Spain?
Habanera rhythm
spread chords reflecting guitar
(grenade) what’s the range?
six octaves
(grenade) what does he draw on in the opening?
well-sustained sounds with pedal points
(grenade) what effects does he use?
staccato articulation
distant ‘off-stage’ like effects
(grenade) what do textures draw on?
various types of homophony
often layered
(grenade) describe the dynamics
full range
ppp-ff
(grenade) how does Debussy state the piece should be played?
pianist should begin slowly in a nonchalantly graceful rhythm
(grenade) what is the metre?
2/4
sudden switches to 3/4 for the two ‘distant’ interjections
(grenade) what’s characteristic about the habanera rhythm?
dotted notes
(grenade) what rhythmic features are used?
triplets syncopation hetero-rhythms scotch snaps long drawn-out sounds at beginning and end
(grenades) what is the melody built on?
limited number of melodic motifs
(grenades) describe the Moorish lament
dissonant
juxtaposition of semitone and augmented 2nd intervals
(grenades) what melodic features are used?
delicate ornamentation limited range internal one-bar repetitions overall descent avoidance of balanced phrasing
(grenades) what does the second motif contain?
balanced two-bar phrases
ascending by step
repeated notes
marked by harmonic parallelism
(grenades) what is the introduction of the whole-tone scale marked by?
stepwise melody
rising by a third
immediate fall back to starting note
(grenade) is the harmony more varied than pagodes?
yes
(grenade) what typical harmonic devises are used?
pedal points parallel 7th chords whole-tone harmonies false relations between adjacent notes open 5th chords chords of 4ths and 5ths simultaneous false relations parallel thirds
(grenade) describe the structure
alternation of a series of motifs
(grenade) describe the tonality
Csharp tonal centre
(pagodes) What are the opening 4 notes?
Gsharp - Csharp - Dsharp - Fsharp
B in accompaniment
(pagodes) what notes are used in the four-bar section?
Gsharp - Asharp - Csharp - Dsharp - Fsharp
(pagodes) How are the original 4 notes later varied?
B - Gsharp - Fsharp - Dsharp
Csharp in the triplets
Main gauche (M.G)
Left Hand
Main Droile (M.D)
Right hand
Animez un peu
little animated (faster)
Toujours anime
still animated
Retenu
slows
Laissez viber
leave to vibrate
Comparisons
Bolero Debussy La Mer Ravel - Mother Goose Debussy - Faune 1ere GNOSSIENNE
Mother goose
Ballet set in far east pentatonic varying phrase lengths glissando static harmony avoids common chords dissonances whole-tone structures chromaticism pentatonicism metric displacement duple time syncopation meldoy and accompaniment ostinato
1ere Gnossienne
Erik Satie also attended the universal exhibition repetative bass pedal = gong dissonance exotic scale pentatonic free time slow wide spread chords grace notes slow moving rhythms
Prelude a l’apres-midi d’un faune context
Debussy
based on poem about a faun alone in the forrest
faun sonority
strings often muted tremolo pizz and arco harp glissandi harmonics ww often solo horns muted
faun texture
mostly mel-dom-hom monophonic flute solo doubling pedals homorythm
faun structure
ternary with coda
faun tonality
hazy undermined by: 1) chromaticism 2) whole-tone writing 3) unresolved dissonances hints of B and C
Faun harmony
non-functional much use of 7ths chor extensions e.g 9th pedals chromatic half-dim 7ths tritone
Faun melody
extension e.g bar 3 the melody expands to cover an octave whole-tone repetition variation transposition ornamentation
Faun tempo/metre/rhythm
augmentation flexible frequent changes of metre triplets cross-rhythms syncopation
Debussy context
Claude Debussy
1862-1918
Reaction against German Romanticism
Emphasis on colour and texture rather than emotion
Estampes context
1903
prints
first truly Impressionistic work
Where did Debussy first hear Gamelan?
Exposition Universaire
1889
