DEBUSSY and IMPRESSIONISM.

‘Impressionism’ was first used as a sneering description of the

paintings of Monet,Renoir and others.It was only later applied to
music,especially Debussy’s music.The description stuck because
fitted the painting and the music better than any other term.The other
important musical impressionist was Ravel.Niether composer liked the
term much and in fact it only really applies to some of Ravel’s work
who had many influences including Mozart.
Debussy did write many of his best works in an atmospheric style
often with suggestive titles; “the afternoon of a faun”,”Clouds”,”The
perfumes of the night” etc.
Debussy’s music moved away from functional harmony ( Where the
‘musical grammar’ of chords gives a sense of forward motion and
progression ) to a kind of harmony devoted to the sensual experience
of the passing moment.In Debussy’s music a chord isn’t ‘doing a job’ in
the forward movement of the piece,but rather it is a moment of pure
feeling.This is the idea behind it at least!
Debussy’s music never abandoned the traditional elements of triads
and tonal melodies but these were often used in a very individual way.
Parallel harmonies,including 7th and 9th chords,Whole tone passages
and fragmentary melodies ,sometimes with a strong pentatonic flavour
and rhythmically varied,sometimes with triplets, to give a semi-
improvised feel.
A very important element in Debussy’s style is his colourful use of the
orchestra.

TRACK 1. Prelude a l’apres-midi d’un faune. ( Prelude on the

afternoon of a faun ) A free interpretation of a poem by Mallarme.
Debussy first full-scale orchestral work shows his brilliant use of the
orchestra.The famous opening flute solo chromatically outlines the
interval of an augmented 4th - a whole tone interval.The orchestration
is delicate at times (eg.the use of antique cymbals towards the end)
and romantically lush at others (the 2nd main theme in Db)

TRACKS 2-4. Trois Nocturnes.

Nuage (clouds) parallel chords (triads used to in a non-functional
colouristic way) and fragmented melodies all beautifully orchestrated
create a unique sombre atmosphere.
An emotionally cool impressionistic cloudscape.Note the unchanging
whole tone scale melody on the cor anglais that reappears against a
shifting orchestral backdrop.

Fetes.A festival , but as seen from a distance.The Ripe German

Romantic sound is entirely absent,instead there is a brilliantly
colourful rather detached portrait of the events.We are not invited to
feel the excitement of a festival,just shown what it looks like from the
outside (in an impressionistic ‘sound portrait ’).

Sirenes.(sirens) The sirens were mythical mermaid-like creatures

who’s song irresistibly drove sailors to drown themselves in pursuit of
them.
This is a sea-scape and like ‘Nuage” the human element is absent from
the scene.The rise and fall is beautiful but rather detached
emotionally.
TRACKS 5-7. La Mer (The Sea) - “Three symphonic sketches” The
work is Symphonic only in a general sense.There is no sonata form but
rather a mixture of the collage technique with some musical
development (which can occur anywhere in the piece).
De L’aube a midi sur la mer ( From dawn to noon on the sea) An
impressionist sea -scape that tries to show the passing of time rather
as the impressionist painters tried to capture the fleeting effects of
light on the water.Debussy’s friend Eric Satie teased the composer
about his title saying “I ‘specially liked the bit at five past ten”.

TRACKS 8 -9 From the “Iberia”section of hie orchestral ‘Image’.

‘Iberia” is a suite of Spanish influenced pieces.
‘Par les rue et par les chemins’ is a good example of Debussy’s
approach to form.It consists of a number of short “Spanish” style
motifs that are placed together rather like a musical
collage;sometimes it’s just one thing after another,sometimes the
ideas are superimposed and played together,sometimes ideas are
repeated - which helps to give a feeling of shape and coherence.There
is no development of ideas and no large scale melodic shape.It’s more
like a brilliantly coloured jigsaw of similar types of patterns which
don’t fit together in the normal way and yet it works.
This approach reached it,s logical conclusion in the composer’s final
orchestral work ‘Jeux’ where there are only fleeting melodies and no
repetition at all - it,s like a giant orchestral improvisation in form.