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A Level Music > Debussy - Practice Questions > Flashcards

Debussy - Practice Questions Flashcards

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1
Q

Describe the 2 possible structures of Nuages

A
  1. A rotational form, consisting of 5 rotations

2. Ternary Form (A, B, A’)

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2
Q

What is the bar range of Rotation 1?

A

Bars 1 - 10

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3
Q

What is the bar range of Rotation 2?

A

Bars 11 - 28

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4
Q

What is the bar range of Rotation 3?

A

Bars 29 - 56

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5
Q

What is the bar range of Rotation 4?

A

Bars 57 - 93

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6
Q

What is the bar range of Rotation 5?

A

Bars 94 - end

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7
Q

What is the bar ranges if the piece is to be considered Ternary Form?

A

A - Bars 1 - 63
B - Bars 64 - 79
A’ - Bars 80 - end

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8
Q

What are the bar ranges if the piece is to be considered Ternary Form?

A

A - Bars 1 - 63
B - Bars 64 - 79
A’ - Bars 80 - end

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9
Q

What 2 scales are used in bars 1 and 2?

A 
Minor scale (B) in the upper voice
D Octatonic scale (with a centre of B) in the lower voice
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10
Q

What is unusual about the metre in bar 3?

A

Metrically ambiguous (3/2 time against 6/4)

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11
Q

Bar 5 marks the start of what “material”?

A

Y Material

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12
Q

Name three features of the Cor Anglais theme at Bar 5

A
  1. Starts with the span of a tritone (C# - F)
  2. It’s in common time (4/4, whilst others are in 6/4)
  3. It’s called the “Foghorn Motif/Theme”
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13
Q

What is the chord in Bar 7?

A

G7 chord in first inversion

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14
Q

Describe the material at Bar 11

A
  1. It’s a continuation of the “X Material” but now in strings.
  2. It’s “Div. a 6” or divided in 6 parts.
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15
Q

Describe the function of Bar 13 and it’s most important musical feature.

A

It’s a transition bar to the next material. The lower parts consist of chromatically rising minor thirds.

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16
Q

Describe the harmony in Bar 14

A
  1. Parallel Harmony
  2. Dominant 9th chords
  3. Made from overlapping E♭m/Gm Pentatonic scales
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17
Q

What is the function of bars 17-20?

A

It anticipates the B section (Ternary Form)

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18
Q

What is the scale used in Bars 17-18?

A

D Minor Pentatonic

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19
Q

What is the scale used in Bar 19-20?

A

B♭ Dorian

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20
Q

Should the material in bar 21, be considered “X material”?

A

No. The crotchet rhythms are the same, but the melodic material is different. It is used as an accompaniment for the Foghorn theme, oscillating over a G9 chord.

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21
Q

What is significant about Bar 23?

A

It introduces the falling tritone idea (first in the horns, and a bar later in the lower strings; this is a type of call and response, or antiphonal texture here)

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22
Q

What section begins bar 29?

A

Rotation 3

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23
Q

What is unique about the melody, starting in Bar 29?

A

It consists of mainly Perfect 4ths and Major 2nds

24
Q

Describe the harmony in Bar 29

A
  1. Parallel Harmony

2. Simple triads.

25
Q

What is the surprise in Bar 31?

A

An unexpected, but beautiful, C Major chord (Brass play the third of the chord [E] )

26
Q

Describe the metre in Bar 33.

A

Similar to the opening, 3/2 vs. 6/4 but this time the woodwinds are against the string section.

27
Q

What’s the main feature of the bassoon motif, starting in Bar 33?

A

It’s chromatic (F - G - G#)

28
Q

What is the prevalent scale used in the string material in Bar 33?

A

C Wholetone Scale

29
Q

What is a notable composition device used in the string section from bars 33 - 38 - happening every 2 bars?

A

A sequence rising by step each time.

30
Q

What is the most notable aspect of the woodwind writing in Bars 39 - 41?

A

It’s also sequential; almost like it’s taken over from the strings in the bars before.

31
Q

What is unique about the string writing in Bar 39?

A

It’s a single pitch (A♭) across multiple octaves

32
Q

What is the function of Bar 42?

A

Linking material

33
Q

What is the main harmony starting from Bar 43?

A

Alternating C# diminished and G7 chords.

34
Q

What is important about the horn material in Bar 46?

A

First time the Y Material conforms to the 6/4 metre.

35
Q

What is meant by the ‘the point of maximum immobility’ starting in bar 47?

A

Although there is syncopation and pizzicato in strings creating momentum, because the harmony is rather static, we don’t feel like the music is really progressing anywhere (even with all this motion)

36
Q

Describe the harmony in Bar 51

A

Mostly diminished, using B as a tonal centre. (There is also an argument to be made, that with the G’s in the violins, this is a G7 chord in first inversion like the beginning)

37
Q

What is unique about the Cor Anglais material in bar 51?

A

It’s new material

38
Q

What is unique about the bass material from Bars 51 - 55?

A

It descends down from B to F (tritone)

39
Q

What is unique about the length of Rotation 3 in comparison to R1 and R2?

A

It is the combined length of R1 and R2.

R3 = 28 bars (R1 = 10 + R2 = 18)

40
Q

What marks the start of Bar 57?

A

Rotation 4

41
Q

Outline the material in Bar 57

A

The X Material returns, this time in Oboes only.

A solo viola is given some new material to introduce.

42
Q

Describe the harmony in Bars 61 - 62

A
  1. Parallel Dominant 7th Chords in Bar 61

2. Chords derived from the wholetone scale in Bar 62

43
Q

Bar 64 marks the start of which section?

A

The “B Section” in Ternary Form

44
Q

Starting in Bar 64, the main melodic material is derived from which scale?

A

D# Minor Pentatonic

45
Q

The section beginning in Bar 64, starts with an unusual harmonic technique for this piece. What is it?

A

The use of a cadence (Bb7 - Eb = Perfect cadence), which is rather unusual for Impressionist music.

46
Q

Describe the harmony from Bars 64 -66

A

Sustained 3 bars of D#m chord.

In Bar 66, the ending quavers introduce harmony from the wholetone scale again.

47
Q

What mode is “hinted at” in Bar 67?

A

Dorian

48
Q

Beginning in Bar 69, what is the harmony described as being?

A
  1. Stepwise

2. Modal in nature

49
Q

Describe the interesting use of tonality in Bar 77

A

This is an enharmonic shift from D# to E♭.

50
Q

What is the chord in Bar 80?

A

G7 in first inversion.

51
Q

Outline the 2 techniques being used by strings in Bar 82

A
  1. Tremolo

2. Sur la touche (sul tasto) - Over the fingerboard.

52
Q

What is important about the harmony starting about Bar 82?

A

Debussy starts using some additional chords from the octatonic scale

53
Q

What section starts in Bar 94?

A

Rotation 5

54
Q

What is the function of Rotation 5?

A

It acts as a coda for the piece; it brings it to a close.

55
Q

What is the material used in the bassoon starting in Bar 94?

A

It is derived from opening X material, however:

  1. Only a 2-part version of X has been included in the bassoon (Bar 94)
  2. 2nd half of uppermost line of X material (Bar 95)
56
Q

What is the chord at the start of Bar 99? (Vln.II/Vla)

A

G7 chord

57
Q

Describe the feature of the ending of this piece

A
  1. “Cadential idea” (D-B) used from Foghorn material of previous rotations
  2. There is no formal cadence at all
  3. The texture thins and dynamics dwindle
  4. The piece ends on repeated B pitches to reinforce tonal centre.
  5. Strings all use pizzicato

A Level Music (24 decks)

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