Prélude à l'après midi d'un faune Flashcards
What is the genre of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
symphonic poem (tone poem)
When was <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i> composed?
1894
What is the formal structure of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
loose ternary structure (ABA1)
what is the source of inspiration for <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
a Symbolist poem (pastoral) by Stéphane Mallarmé
What are the performing forces in <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
strings - violins, violas, cellos, double basses, harps
woodwinds - flutes, oboes, Eng horn, clarinets
brass - Fr horns
percussion - antique cymbals
What is the key signature of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
begins and ends with four shaprs
What is the time signature of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
begins with 9/8
What is the tempo of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
<i>Très modéré</i>
What does the poem for <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i> describe?
a <b>faun</b>, a mythological character of the forest who is <u>half man, half goat</u>
he is visited by three lovely nymphs, or was it just a dream?
What feelings does <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i> capture of the poem?
the hazy, dreamy quality
What is the tonality of <b>Section A</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
the tonality is deliberately ambiguous (despite key signature)
how does the flute play the opening melody in <b>Section A</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
the flute descends chromatically from C sharp to G, outlining a <b>tritone</b> (Aug4)
What does the mysterious atmosphere in the opening of <b>Section A</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i> depict?
Mallarmé’s poem: nymphs in their gossamer(delicate) embodiment, floating on the air . . .”
How is <b>Section A</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i> fluid and rhythmic?
figures often flow across bar lines,
obscure metric accents
What are the innovative orchestrations in <b>Section A</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
feature harp <i>glissandi</i>,
muted horns,
muted strings
How any themes are introduced in <b>Section b</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
two
Which instrument introduce the themes in <b>Section B</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
woodwinds
How is contrast created in <b>Section B</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
a more active, animated rhythm
How do the clarinets evoke an <b>exotic atmosphere</b>?
the clarinets trace a rapid whole-tone scales
What kind of sound do the strings in parallel motion create in <b>Section B</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
a gentle, floating sound
How is the climax created in <b>Section B</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
modulation to D flat major
pressing syncopation
How are the note values changed in the <b>Return of Section A</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
longer note values are used (augmentation)
How is the melody changed in the <b>Return of Section A</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>?
solo flute now outlines a perfect fourth
clarifies E major tonality
What percussion instrument is in the <b>Return of Section A</b> of <i>Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune</i>
antique cymbals are gently struck
