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Debussy Flashcards

(69 cards)

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1
Q

What does Estampes mean?

A

‘prints’ or ‘engravings’

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2
Q

When was it written?

A

1903

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3
Q

Why is it significant to Debussys style?

A

more Impressionistic

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4
Q

(pagodes) How does Debussy evoke oriental sounds?

A

pentatonicism
slow-moving harmonic changes
pedal
vibrant/rich washes of sound

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5
Q

(pagodes) When did Debussy first hear chinese Gamelan and what did he regard it as?

A

Paris world exhibition 1889

A means of breaking free from the contstraints of Europen music

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6
Q

(pagodes) what range of the piano is used?

A

Full

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7
Q

(pagodes) what’s impressionistic about the pedal?

A

Indications are sporadic
both una corda and sustain pedal used
no changes indicated
creates a merging effect

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8
Q

(pagodes) how do textures vary?

A

considerably in texture and type

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9
Q

(pagodes) how are sound qualities enhanced?

A

exploitation of the full dynamic range

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10
Q

(pagodes) are the textures complex?

A

yes

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11
Q

(pagodes) how did Debussy direct this piece to be performed?

A

‘moderement anime with the pulse subject to rubato seen from the numerous ritenutos

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12
Q

(pagodes) are the rhythms diverse?

A

yes

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13
Q

(pagodes) what technical features are associated with Debussys impressionistic approach?

A 
syncopation
tied notes
triplets
steady quavers
quintuplets
hetero/cross-rhythms
gong like sounds in bass
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14
Q

(pagodes) what is the melody built up of?

A

two-bar phrases drawing on pentatonic structures

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15
Q

(pagodes) what is the first melodic line constructed of?

A

four pitches

Gsharp - Csharp - D - Fsharp

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16
Q

(pagodes) where is the fifth note of the pentatonic scale?

A

In the bass accompanying harmonic structure

B

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17
Q

(pagodes) describe the harmony

A

Non-functional

draws heavily on pentatonic material

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18
Q

(pagodes) describe the harmonic rhythm

A

slow

slight changes as part of the ‘changing background’ approach

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19
Q

(pagodes) what prominent landmarks are there?

A 
B major with added 6th and flat. 7th
B major
Diminished triad
Interval of major 2nd 
Pentatonic harmonisation
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20
Q

(pagodes) what is the final section underpinned by?

A

Slowly descending bass line, eventually settling on the tonic B

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21
Q

(pagodes) describe the structure

A

ternary form with coda

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22
Q

(pagodes) what is the key?

A

none

B tonal centre

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23
Q

(pagodes) what does gauche mean?

A

Left hand

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24
Q

(pagodes) what does main droile mean?

A

Right hand

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25
(pagodes) what are the features of Gamelan?
``` Pentatonic scale imitating slendro scale pedal imitating gong upper melodies imitating xylophone varying speeds slow rhythms octaves ```
26
(pagodes) what are the features of Impressionism?
``` Moods and emotions avoided Blurred sounds throughout Extended harmonies Ambiguous tonality Parallel chords Added 6th ```
27
(grenade) what is the aim of the piece?
to evoke the character of Spain
28
(grenade) how does he evoke the character of Spain?
Habanera rhythm | spread chords reflecting guitar
29
(grenade) what's the range?
six octaves
30
(grenade) what does he draw on in the opening?
well-sustained sounds with pedal points
31
(grenade) what effects does he use?
staccato articulation | distant 'off-stage' like effects
32
(grenade) what do textures draw on?
various types of homophony | often layered
33
(grenade) describe the dynamics
full range | ppp-ff
34
(grenade) how does Debussy state the piece should be played?
pianist should begin slowly in a nonchalantly graceful rhythm
35
(grenade) what is the metre?
2/4 | sudden switches to 3/4 for the two 'distant' interjections
36
(grenade) what's characteristic about the habanera rhythm?
dotted notes
37
(grenade) what rhythmic features are used?
``` triplets syncopation hetero-rhythms scotch snaps long drawn-out sounds at beginning and end ```
38
(grenades) what is the melody built on?
limited number of melodic motifs
39
(grenades) describe the Moorish lament
dissonant | juxtaposition of semitone and augmented 2nd intervals
40
(grenades) what melodic features are used?
``` delicate ornamentation limited range internal one-bar repetitions overall descent avoidance of balanced phrasing ```
41
(grenades) what does the second motif contain?
balanced two-bar phrases ascending by step repeated notes marked by harmonic parallelism
42
(grenades) what is the introduction of the whole-tone scale marked by?
stepwise melody rising by a third immediate fall back to starting note
43
(grenade) is the harmony more varied than pagodes?
yes
44
(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 ```
45
(grenade) describe the structure
alternation of a series of motifs
46
(grenade) describe the tonality
Csharp tonal centre
47
(pagodes) What are the opening 4 notes?
Gsharp - Csharp - Dsharp - Fsharp | B in accompaniment
48
(pagodes) what notes are used in the four-bar section?
Gsharp - Asharp - Csharp - Dsharp - Fsharp
49
(pagodes) How are the original 4 notes later varied?
B - Gsharp - Fsharp - Dsharp | Csharp in the triplets
50
Main gauche (M.G)
Left Hand
51
Main Droile (M.D)
Right hand
52
Animez un peu
little animated (faster)
53
Toujours anime
still animated
54
Retenu
slows
55
Laissez viber
leave to vibrate
56
Comparisons
``` Bolero Debussy La Mer Ravel - Mother Goose Debussy - Faune 1ere GNOSSIENNE ```
57
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 ```
58
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 ```
59
Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune context
Debussy | based on poem about a faun alone in the forrest
60
faun sonority
``` strings often muted tremolo pizz and arco harp glissandi harmonics ww often solo horns muted ```
61
faun texture
``` mostly mel-dom-hom monophonic flute solo doubling pedals homorythm ```
62
faun structure
ternary with coda
63
faun tonality
``` hazy undermined by: 1) chromaticism 2) whole-tone writing 3) unresolved dissonances hints of B and C ```
64
Faun harmony
``` non-functional much use of 7ths chor extensions e.g 9th pedals chromatic half-dim 7ths tritone ```
65
Faun melody
``` extension e.g bar 3 the melody expands to cover an octave whole-tone repetition variation transposition ornamentation ```
66
Faun tempo/metre/rhythm
``` augmentation flexible frequent changes of metre triplets cross-rhythms syncopation ```
67
Debussy context
Claude Debussy 1862-1918 Reaction against German Romanticism Emphasis on colour and texture rather than emotion
68
Estampes context
1903 prints first truly Impressionistic work
69
Where did Debussy first hear Gamelan?
Exposition Universaire | 1889

Music (19 decks)

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