Estampes No. 1 – Pagodes (Debussy) – Estampes No. 2 – La soiree dans Grenade
1903
Context Impressionism: movement began in contemporary paintings with blurred lines, blended colours + a focus on
light (e.g. Monet), term began to be applied to Debussy (despite his dislike for the term)
Music impressionist features: evoking atmospheres by blending colours in harmony/instrumentation,
traditional pull of tonality weakened in favour of parallel + extended chords and pedal notes, melodies
developed fragmentally, whole tones/chromaticism, abrupt modulations to unrelated keys, fluid forms often
based on the transformation of an initial theme, rich/transparent textures
Debussy: French fascination with music of other cultures, he saw a musical ensemble from Java + was
fascinated by their Gamelan music, aimed to remove the functionality of harmony + concentrate on its colour
Sounds of Javanese Gamelan Music of Spain (Debussy only visited once), evening in
Pagoda: tiered tower found in many East Asian Granada evoked
countries Granada: the last seat in Spain of Moorish invaders
Core melody (balungan) played by metallophone with from Morocco + still has many reminders of its Moorish
gongs punctuating the important parts of the phrases past, has a rich history/culture
+ smaller instruments playing a faster ornate version Habanera: Cuban dance, became very popular in
of the melody – free form France as an evocation of Spanish culture
Textural/timbral contrast more important than Guitar: essential instrument to southern Spain/flamenco
melodic development dance
Perform Piano sustained pedal – misty effect of blurring Frequent imitation of guitar strumming – spreading
ing harmonies (e.g. the 4ths + 5ths at the end of the A chords, acciaccaturas
section – resonant wash of colour) Range: extremely large (e.g. opening C#s range over 6
Forces
Begins with low pitched gong-like sounds (pianist has octaves)
+ to cross hands) Sustain pedal: only marked at the end, but would play
Sonority Gong sounds continue as pedals throughout an important role in sustaining/blurring harmonic
First melody = metallophone (‘delicately + almost colours
without nuances’) Full tone/dynamic range – e.g. ‘distant’ with staccatos,
Range: extremely large from C#0 gong-like pedals to ‘expressive’ legato Moorish lament
the high tessitura demisemiquavers in the coda Crossing hands allows complex/virtuosic textures to be
built (3 staves)
Structur Intro ABA coda (B contains elements of A, all contain Very sectionalised – determined by the repetition of the
e subsections) various themes/ ideas + divided into four loose sections
A subsections: intro setting harmonic colour, first A: Habanera rhythm set up (intro), Moorish lament,
idea (countermelody later added), then two new Phrygian + whole tone ideas
ideas (LH pentatonic scale in octaves + RH triplet B: ‘very rhythmic’, presents Amj theme
motif related to opening melody), then a new idea of C: return of the whole tone idea + more disjunct idea
, a slow triplet trill with chords, the chords then D: return of the Phrygian + Amj ideas, appearance of a
change to the counter-melody from the opening, then ‘distant’ new idea + return of the Moorish lament
this melody is explored in triplets for both hands,
ends with the harmony from the beginning
Coda: uses first, slow trill triplet, countermelody + a
B section idea
Texture Three-part texture: e.g. first idea (melody, chords + Chordal elements (e.g. strumming + 7 note chords at
pedal more contrapuntal when countermelody the end), but always other parts to the texture
added) or coda (melody, pedal + demisemiquaver Moorish lament: melody + simple accomp (thin)
broken chords) Pedal textures – habanera rhythm, often on a pedal
Pedal textures (tonic/dominant at beginning, G# note
under new idea) 3-part textures: e.g. Amj melody, habanera rhythm +
Homophonic: climax of B section = simple rhythm in 3rds, always a clear melody present
homophonic/homorhythmic/in octaves/parallel
Tonality Key signature suggests Bmj or G#m, but neither are Mostly tonal, but tonal centres used more than keys
properly established (pedals of both in beginning (C# at the beginning despite a key signature of
section) – black notes chosen for pentatonic Amj/F#m – does not sound in either of these – and
possibilities shifts to F# when the strumming Phrygian idea
B is a tonal centre at the beginning – obscured by flat repeated)
7th chord I, Emj triads under countermelody + moves Dissonance + whole tone + Phrygian mode
away when G# pedal (cadences never used to ‘Very rhythmical’ – tonal centre of A + feels much more
establish keys) like Amj
C section modulates to F#mj with an F# tonal centre
(much dissonance)
Harmon Opens with a B/F# pedal (open 5th), which changes to Pedal notes (usually in the habanera rhythm) heard
y G# later throughout most of the piece + establish tonal centres
Parallel harmonies in B section climax (e.g. inverted C# over Moorish lament, A + F# later on)
Harmony of opening: warm B6 then gentle dissonant Music built on 4ths + 5ths (e.g. ‘very rhythmical’
B6/7 and B section begins with the same F#/G# suggests open quartal harmonies), cadences very
cluster with an E# in melody uncommon, whole tone
Pentatonic first melody + LH octave 2nd idea Chains of parallel added note chords (e.g. arpeggiated
(Javanese 5-note slendro scale) 7th chords – e.g. F#7 + parallel triads in the C/D
Whole tone melody begins/ends B section sections)
(impressionism) Disjunct melody includes chromatic appoggiaturas +
flattened 3rds
Melody First melody: two bar, pentatonic style, contains four North-African Moorish lament: deliberately dissonant
pitches (C#, D#, F#, G#), ostinato: rises a 4th then first note creating a semitone dissonance with the C#
1903
Context Impressionism: movement began in contemporary paintings with blurred lines, blended colours + a focus on
light (e.g. Monet), term began to be applied to Debussy (despite his dislike for the term)
Music impressionist features: evoking atmospheres by blending colours in harmony/instrumentation,
traditional pull of tonality weakened in favour of parallel + extended chords and pedal notes, melodies
developed fragmentally, whole tones/chromaticism, abrupt modulations to unrelated keys, fluid forms often
based on the transformation of an initial theme, rich/transparent textures
Debussy: French fascination with music of other cultures, he saw a musical ensemble from Java + was
fascinated by their Gamelan music, aimed to remove the functionality of harmony + concentrate on its colour
Sounds of Javanese Gamelan Music of Spain (Debussy only visited once), evening in
Pagoda: tiered tower found in many East Asian Granada evoked
countries Granada: the last seat in Spain of Moorish invaders
Core melody (balungan) played by metallophone with from Morocco + still has many reminders of its Moorish
gongs punctuating the important parts of the phrases past, has a rich history/culture
+ smaller instruments playing a faster ornate version Habanera: Cuban dance, became very popular in
of the melody – free form France as an evocation of Spanish culture
Textural/timbral contrast more important than Guitar: essential instrument to southern Spain/flamenco
melodic development dance
Perform Piano sustained pedal – misty effect of blurring Frequent imitation of guitar strumming – spreading
ing harmonies (e.g. the 4ths + 5ths at the end of the A chords, acciaccaturas
section – resonant wash of colour) Range: extremely large (e.g. opening C#s range over 6
Forces
Begins with low pitched gong-like sounds (pianist has octaves)
+ to cross hands) Sustain pedal: only marked at the end, but would play
Sonority Gong sounds continue as pedals throughout an important role in sustaining/blurring harmonic
First melody = metallophone (‘delicately + almost colours
without nuances’) Full tone/dynamic range – e.g. ‘distant’ with staccatos,
Range: extremely large from C#0 gong-like pedals to ‘expressive’ legato Moorish lament
the high tessitura demisemiquavers in the coda Crossing hands allows complex/virtuosic textures to be
built (3 staves)
Structur Intro ABA coda (B contains elements of A, all contain Very sectionalised – determined by the repetition of the
e subsections) various themes/ ideas + divided into four loose sections
A subsections: intro setting harmonic colour, first A: Habanera rhythm set up (intro), Moorish lament,
idea (countermelody later added), then two new Phrygian + whole tone ideas
ideas (LH pentatonic scale in octaves + RH triplet B: ‘very rhythmic’, presents Amj theme
motif related to opening melody), then a new idea of C: return of the whole tone idea + more disjunct idea
, a slow triplet trill with chords, the chords then D: return of the Phrygian + Amj ideas, appearance of a
change to the counter-melody from the opening, then ‘distant’ new idea + return of the Moorish lament
this melody is explored in triplets for both hands,
ends with the harmony from the beginning
Coda: uses first, slow trill triplet, countermelody + a
B section idea
Texture Three-part texture: e.g. first idea (melody, chords + Chordal elements (e.g. strumming + 7 note chords at
pedal more contrapuntal when countermelody the end), but always other parts to the texture
added) or coda (melody, pedal + demisemiquaver Moorish lament: melody + simple accomp (thin)
broken chords) Pedal textures – habanera rhythm, often on a pedal
Pedal textures (tonic/dominant at beginning, G# note
under new idea) 3-part textures: e.g. Amj melody, habanera rhythm +
Homophonic: climax of B section = simple rhythm in 3rds, always a clear melody present
homophonic/homorhythmic/in octaves/parallel
Tonality Key signature suggests Bmj or G#m, but neither are Mostly tonal, but tonal centres used more than keys
properly established (pedals of both in beginning (C# at the beginning despite a key signature of
section) – black notes chosen for pentatonic Amj/F#m – does not sound in either of these – and
possibilities shifts to F# when the strumming Phrygian idea
B is a tonal centre at the beginning – obscured by flat repeated)
7th chord I, Emj triads under countermelody + moves Dissonance + whole tone + Phrygian mode
away when G# pedal (cadences never used to ‘Very rhythmical’ – tonal centre of A + feels much more
establish keys) like Amj
C section modulates to F#mj with an F# tonal centre
(much dissonance)
Harmon Opens with a B/F# pedal (open 5th), which changes to Pedal notes (usually in the habanera rhythm) heard
y G# later throughout most of the piece + establish tonal centres
Parallel harmonies in B section climax (e.g. inverted C# over Moorish lament, A + F# later on)
Harmony of opening: warm B6 then gentle dissonant Music built on 4ths + 5ths (e.g. ‘very rhythmical’
B6/7 and B section begins with the same F#/G# suggests open quartal harmonies), cadences very
cluster with an E# in melody uncommon, whole tone
Pentatonic first melody + LH octave 2nd idea Chains of parallel added note chords (e.g. arpeggiated
(Javanese 5-note slendro scale) 7th chords – e.g. F#7 + parallel triads in the C/D
Whole tone melody begins/ends B section sections)
(impressionism) Disjunct melody includes chromatic appoggiaturas +
flattened 3rds
Melody First melody: two bar, pentatonic style, contains four North-African Moorish lament: deliberately dissonant
pitches (C#, D#, F#, G#), ostinato: rises a 4th then first note creating a semitone dissonance with the C#
