1. 1900-1945 Time of Artistic and Musical diversity
- new styles and genres appeared faster
- influenced by cultural climate and wars
- We get to a definitive break from tonality
- Classical music becomes very controversial
Decline of The Symphony and Opera
- rise in free forms for orchestra, ballet, chamber music, and piano music

2. Paris at the turn of the Century
Paris Conservatoire
Impressionism
Exoticism
Claude Debussy
Maurice Ravel
Igor Stravinsky
Ballet Russe

3. Impressionism
Sunrise, Claude Monet 1872

4. Impressionism
In painting- visible brush strokes, inclusion of movement
In music-focused on suggestion and atmosphere rather than strong emotion or the depiction of a story (as in program music).
Favor short forms (no symphonies!)
Based in France
Use of whole tone scale
Artistic Impressionism: Monet ::Musical Impressionism: Debussy
Painting-include visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage of time), ordinary subject matter, the inclusion of movement as a crucial element of human perception and experience, and unusual visual angles.

5. Claude Debussy 1862-1918 Born in France
Music instructor to the children of Mme. Von Meck
- Fascination with Mussorgsky
1888-Traveled to Bayreuth Festival
- interest in Wagner (wouldn’t admit it publicly)
1889-Worlds Fair to Paris
- Javanese Gamelan Music (Pentatonic Scale) –Exoticism!!!
1883-Death of Wagner-cult following.

6. Claude Debussy 1862-1918 Orchestral Music Piano Music
- Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Tone Poem based on poem by Stéphane Mallarmé
Opens with flute solo
Lush strings vs wind choir
- Nocturnes
“Clouds”, “Festivals”, “Sirens”
Piano Music
- Use of sustain pedal
Arabesque:
Claire de Lune:
Cathedral:
Nuages:

7. Maurice Ravel 1875-1937 Born in France
- Father was Swiss/French, Mother was Spanish
- His Mother’s Basque heritage played a major role in his music
Entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1889
- Failed as a pianist, was expelled
- returned as a composition student
- never won the Prix de Rome

8. Maurice Ravel
Combined French Impressionism with Spanish Folk ideas
Excelled at orchestration
- Great at mimicking other composers & styles
- most famous is “Pictures at an Exhibition”
Composed mostly for piano and orchestra
Also wrote 2 Operas and 1 String Quartet
- L'enfant et les sortilèges very influential
String Quartet:
Pavanne:
Daphne:
Alborada: 1:20
5:45 l’infant:
6:10