Impressionist Music Style Period

By Nikki Miller and

Peter Magazzu

Overview

• 1890-1940• The Impressionist music style was found

during the ninetieth century to the beginning of the twentieth century in France

• The Impressionist style was a reaction to the romanticism style

• It wants to make an impression, not clearly describe the tone of the music

Characteristics

• It uses whole tone scales as opposed to major and minor scales as the romantic style used in the past

• It involves a lot of dissonance- chords weren’t used to relieve tension as they had in the past

• It includes short melodies that have different moods throughout each piece

Important Composers

The two “great” impressionists:– Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel

Others include: Paul Dukas, Charles Griffes, Alexander Scriabin, and Ralph Vaughan Williams

The style influenced many composers in the future

Claude Debussy

•August 22, 1862 – March 25, 1918

•French composer

•Music was not centered around one tone or pitch, he used symbolism

•Used many parallel chords and unprepared modulations

•Music was usually about events that occurred in his life

•Clair de Lune was one of his most famous works

Maurice Ravel

• March 7, 1875 – December 28, 1937• French composer• Influenced by Claude Debussy• Known for his melodies, orchestral, and

instrumental textures and effects

• His music is found a lot in concert repertoire, also widely known for his

orchestra pieces • His piece “Miroirs” (Mirrors) was a five

piano piece was a “harmonic revolution”

Impressionism (1890–1940)

• The Impressionism period occurred in the 19th century in France and was a painting movement as well

• It also focused on literature

• Basically, it was a radical movement by all art forms- involving topics and styles that had not been focused on or brought up before

“The Embarkation for Cythera" by Jean-Antoine Watteau.

• This painting was made by Jean- Antoine Watteau that Claude Debussy based “L'îsle Joyeuse" ("The Island of Joy") on

The End