New Currents in France March 10, 2004

19 th Century France By the end of the 19th C: By the end of the 19th C: –Paris was the cultural center of Europe: poets (Stephane Mallarmé, Paul Verlaine), painters (Paul Gauguin, Paul Cézanne) –Musical developments were later 1871: National Society for French Music 1871: National Society for French Music 1894: Scholar Cantorum 1894: Scholar Cantorum French music revival via these two institutions French music revival via these two institutions Four main French composers around turn of the century: Four main French composers around turn of the century: –Gabriel Fauré ( ) –Claude Debussy ( ) –Erik Satie ( ) –Maurice Ravel ( )

Gabriel Fauré ( ) Organist, composition professor Organist, composition professor Music: ‘highly civilized’, embodying the aristocratic qualities of French tradition Music: ‘highly civilized’, embodying the aristocratic qualities of French tradition Output: lyric pieces (songs, piano) and chamber music, some larger works Output: lyric pieces (songs, piano) and chamber music, some larger works Almost 100 songs Almost 100 songs –capture his style; written throughout his career –influenced by the piano music of Mendelssohn and Chopin Stylistic features of his output: lyrical melody, not virtuosic Stylistic features of his output: lyrical melody, not virtuosic NAWM: “Avant que tu ne t’en ailles,” from La Bonne Chanson, op. 61 (1892) NAWM: “Avant que tu ne t’en ailles,” from La Bonne Chanson, op. 61 (1892) Very influential: helped launch 20 th C French music Very influential: helped launch 20 th C French music

Claude Debussy ( ) Great impact on 20th C music Great impact on 20th C music Biographical sketch Biographical sketch Musical training and influences Musical training and influences He sought to expand traditional compositional resources He sought to expand traditional compositional resources –not expanding form and existent conventions –Rather: incorporating music sounds and techniques from other periods and places (e.g. gamelan) His musical taste: fine sensibilities, aristocratic taste, anti-Romantic conception of music’s function His musical taste: fine sensibilities, aristocratic taste, anti-Romantic conception of music’s function

Impressionism Term associated with Debussy’s music Term associated with Debussy’s music School of French painting that flourished from ca School of French painting that flourished from ca e.g. Claude Monet – concern with atmosphere, colour and light e.g. Claude Monet – concern with atmosphere, colour and light

Impressionism in Music Aim to evoke moods and sensuous impressions through harmony and tone colour Aim to evoke moods and sensuous impressions through harmony and tone colour Programmatic: attempt to evoke a mood, sentiment or atmosphere, not to express deep emotion or to tell a story Programmatic: attempt to evoke a mood, sentiment or atmosphere, not to express deep emotion or to tell a story Antithesis of the ‘boldness’ of Romanticism – reliance on allusion and understatement Antithesis of the ‘boldness’ of Romanticism – reliance on allusion and understatement E.g. Debussy’s Prelude to an Afternoon of a Faun (1894) E.g. Debussy’s Prelude to an Afternoon of a Faun (1894)

Debussy’s Output and Style Orchestration: Orchestration: –full orchestra for performance, but small sound –often features woodwinds for solos –brass and strings often muted, inclusion of the harp –use of various percussion instruments –NAWM: “Nuages,” from Trois Nocturnes (1899) Piano music: Piano music: –very important contribution to piano literature of 20th C –three ‘main’ collections: Estampes, Images, Preludes ( ) –e.g. “Clair de lune” from Suite Bergamasque (1889/90, published 1905) Other: One completed opera (Pelleas et Melisande, 1902), songs, incidental music Other: One completed opera (Pelleas et Melisande, 1902), songs, incidental music