Debussy - WL

Question 1

Saint Saens

Answer 1

La Princesse Jaune: Influenced by Japonism
movement in Paris in the late 19th century.
Orientalism seen in multiple works, eg,.
Samson et Dalila, where she is depicted with
music from the East for its sensual appeal.
Modal scales and deep percussion sounds give
the MIddle Eastern sound.

Question 2

Leopold Godowsky - Java Suite

Answer 2

Attempted to emulate Javanese music after he visited Java.
Avoids chromaticism.
1. Gong-like left hand with a hypnotising, pulsating effect.
Pieces feature Perfect 4ths and 5ths, parallel movement,,
repetitive pentatonic melodies.
Tonally ambiguous, cadences avoided in traditional sense.
Polyrhythms, syncopation and triplet figures extensively used.

Question 3

Poulenc - Concerto for 2 Pianos

Answer 3

Encountered Balinese Gamelan at an
exposition in Paris in 1931 and used modal
inflected figurations inspired in these
pentatonic scales.
Coda of 1st movement is a hypnotic, moto
perpetuo section.
Parallel movement: 4ths 5ths and octaves

Question 4

Manuel de falla - Nights in the Gardens of Spain

Answer 4

Spanish composer who moved to Paris in 1905 and incorporated
Debussy’s impressionist style into this piece for piano and orchestra,
paying homage to Andalusia.
Music not descriptive, but expressive of places and sensations evoked
by the titles of each movement. ‘Symphonic impressions’.
‘En el Generalife’ Rippling demisemiquaver and triplet piano ostinatos
blended with orchestra
In the Gardens of the SIerra de Cordoba’ Strumming effects on strings,
highly rhytmic section drawing on Gypsy and Flamenco influence.

Question 5

Ravel

Answer 5

Javanese Gamelan had been heard at the Paris World Exhibition in 1889 and influenced
many French Impressionist composers, including Debussy and Ravel.
‘La vallee des cloches’: Explores piano sympathetic resonances, pentatonic ostinato
patterns reminiscent of ‘Pagodes.’
‘Ma Mere l’Oye’: Used a tuned percussion section in the orchestra to capture Gamelan
sonorities, celeste plays on low end of register to emulate bells.
Explored Spanish music styles in accordance with his Spanish heritage. Wrote a
habanera in 1895 which was included in his later work ‘Rapsodie espagnole’, rich with
Spanish character