Lessons with Romanticist (expanding our repertoire)

This is a bit of an offshoot for the lessons thread.

With this thread, we hope to be expanding some horizons, slowly, but in a logical fashion.

Let's start with what is unofficially "the start of the 20th century".

Bizarre as it might seem, the 20th century in music started a few years early - in 1894. The even was the première of "Prélude à l'après midi d'un faune" by Claude Achillle Debussy.

Debussy's music was already exploring the boundaries of common practice harmony before this date, however, with the Prelude (initially intended as the opening of a triptych) he broke free of the formal restrictions of music as it was known until that point.

The music is freely roaming, as it follows in a quasi-programmatic way the titular Faun. In the words of Debussy himself:

Originally Posted by Claude Achille Debussy

The music of this prelude is a very free illustration of Mallarmé's beautiful poem. By no means does it claim to be a synthesis of it. Rather there is a succession of scenes through which pass the desires and dreams of the faun in the heat of the afternoon. Then, tired of pursuing the timorous flight of nymphs and naiads, he succumbs to intoxicating sleep, in which he can finally realize his dreams of possession in universal Nature.

What is of great interest in this piece, is that it is quite non-tonal, as tonal music was known at the time. It relies on "modes" (forms of scales), which Debussy then expands upon. Changes in harmonic area take place literally through "modulation" - the change of mode.

The opening flute solo is the main thread you will be following through-out the work as you listen.

This isn't technically a "tone poem" as it does not, in any way, endeavour to literally describe images, but rather, like so much of Debussy's music, to evoke sensations in the listener.

Notice also the extremely delicate orchestration.

In a way, this is the genesis of "cellular" composition technique, as Debussy uses these brief fragmentary themes (cells) as the building blocks of the music. As you listen to the music repeatedly, you will begin to notice the different cells/motifs and how they are delicately altered to create new effects, rather than simple repetition.

People have written doctoral thesis on this work and its impact on subsequant generations of composers. It is one of the most significant works of the 20th century.

(I would like to say before you read, that I have sat here and listened 3 times, and I am currently restarting..so that would be 4, also, The below analysis may seem a bit unorganized..for it was written during the three times I listened to it.)

I must say that this did indeed surprise me..I began listening with a negative attitude, but it was for the most part enjoyable. The flute solo in the beginning wasn't unlike that of, or similar in style to the woodwind solo in the beginning to Ravel's Daphnis et cloe. For some odd reason that's what it reminded me of anyway.

Now, The flute part at times seems (and you'd probably kill me for saying) Nonsensical not necessarily random..but it seems to pop all over the place..not unlike that of a wandering fawn now that I think of it. What seems do be different in this piece however is how light it is..just flowing. The orchestration as you said at times is delicate however at times it is way too loud for my liking..atleast this recording is. It seems to swell, and then exhale, swell..exhale..almost in a continuing pattern for a good portion of the piece (Especially after the flute solos). It's a shame I don't have a score with me now..some of these harmonies sound newer, out of the norm and silky. Oh well.

Now call me what you wish but I cannot pinpoint the main (motif) of this piece to save my life. I understand that it's in cellular form, but I don't know, I'm used to a simlar theme or motif being used throughout a piece. It seems like the flute introduces a major motif or melody in the very beginning and the orchestra seems to play almost what I'd call variations or similar sequences to that of the initial melody throughout the piece. It quite literally sounds like someone is watching a video of a wandering fawn and composed to it..the fawns movments are unpredictable (that is if you don't disturb it). The animal itself constantly moving around, looking around, darting..sitting, and it doesn't seem to have a definite pattern of movement. This would be how I would describe this piece..just free flowing not necessarily random, but unpredicable. This is actually an ok piece of music. If I had spare time I'd actualy listen to it, not on my favs list but a pretty nice piece to listen to.

p.s. not a fawn "animal"... it's a mythological character

Faun

This is actually considerably before Daphnis, as well.

As I said, this piece started an entire movement in music.

Originally Posted by QcCowboy

p.s. not a fawn "animal"... it's a mythological character

Faun

This is actually considerably before Daphnis, as well.

As I said, this piece started an entire movement in music.

HAHA

Sorry I was thinking of the baby deer (fawn).


Either way it reminded me of the animal..so yeah (sorry).

The thing about L'Apres-midi is exactly that fluidity.

It is the pivotal piece that allowed so many of the changes that came to music in terms of form and development.

The more you listen to the piece, the more logical and inevitable it becomes. The idea here is that you must aclimate your mind's ear to hearing things that are outside the scope of what you have known before. This isn't always easy, but it IS necessary, or else you will always be looking for the wrong thing when trying to understand more contermporary music.

In this particular case, the fluidity of the thematic development and the harmonic ambiguity are the very essence of the piece. Without them, this would not BE "L'apres-midi d'un faun".

Notice that the flute theme DOES return quite clearly in the horns at the very end. As a matter of fact, elements of that theme return through-out, played by different woodwinds.

I never did notice that the theme returned in the horns. I however realize that it did return other places in the piece. Brief little sections..that you have to really pay attention to notice and hear. The organization of this piece still is beyond me. It isn't thrown at the the listener how the piece is organized if that even makes sense to you, but yeah..still listening..trying to see where else themes and motifs are recycled throughout. So anyway...

Obviously, as we move on to other composers, it still remains your duty to keep exploring those we've started listening to. With Debussy, there are a number of works that stand out as "must know" pieces.

Debussy wrote a lot of piano music that is at the very heart of the piano repertoire: various titled pieces, the études, the two books of préludes, piano 4-hand and duet works, etc...

From his orchestral works, the other major one you should be familiar with is "La Mer" (the sea), which functions as a "symphony" in Debussy's catalogue. It is a large-scale, 3-movement work, for large orchestra. It continues Debussy's interest in the development of cellular motifs and modes. If you listen very carefully, you see the evolution of the various thematic cells as they change and evolve through the piece.

Ok I understand what you're saying

Do you wish to commence?

What other works have you listened to since we started?

Talk about one of them.
(by this, I don't mean a "critique" with the things you see as "wrong" with the pieces, but rather how might it have opened your eyes/ears to a different way of seeing/hearing music?)

The point here isn't for you to listen to music within the same limited scope you did before, but to expand gradually your perception.

Every time you notice that a composer does something which was "unusual" to your ear, you need to become familiar with it, understand it, and it gradually weaves its way into your musical consciousness. Then when you ehar another compsoer do something similar, it isn't quite as "outlandish" the second time.

The next music we'll listen to will be by Ravel, by the way.