Lesson 1 Music
Lesson 1 Music
Lesson 1 Music
Expressionism
and Primitivism
MUSICAL STYLES
Impressionism
Impression, Sunrise (1872)
Claude Monet
As with most artistic
movements, the
Impressionist movement in
music was a reaction to
the previous era of music,
namely the Romantic era,
in which the music of
many composers is heavy
and overly dramatic
by comparison.
Impressionism
Originated in Paris, France during the late 19th century-
early 20th century.
Impressionism was a rejection of the Romantic style in
which composers wrote music that portrayed emotions.
The goal of Impressionism was to create a mood.
Tone color
Atmosphere
Fluidity
- the quality of sound that
distinguishes one instrument
or voice from another
The sounds work together to
create a space where sound
becomes the encompassing
theme, mood and character of
the immediate environment.
is used as a metaphor for the
expressive relationship
between the composer and
performer
Expressionism
The term Expressionism was originally
borrowed from visual art and literature.
Artists created vivid pictures, distorting
colours and shapes to make unrealistic
images that suggested strong emotions.
Expressionist composers poured intense
emotional expression into their music
exploring their subconscious mind.
Expressionist music often features:
A high level of dissonance
Extreme contrasts of dynamics
Constantly changing textures
Distorted melodies and harmonies
Angular melodies with wide leaps
Primitivism
Primitivism is a word that describes
the condition or quality that
belongs to something crude and
unrefined. In music, primitivism was
a reaction to the rich complexity
of Romanticism and later on,
Impressionism.
CHARACTERISTICS:
Exploration of cultural concerns
from outside of the European tradition
Crudeness and rawness of
materials.
Abstraction of the figure in visual
arts.
Emphasis on rhythm and percussive
elements in music.
20th
Century
Composers
Impressionism
Claude Debussy
(1862-1918)
the primary exponent of the
impressionist movement and the
focal point for other impressionist
composers
he gained a reputation as an
erratic pianist and a rebel in theory
and harmony
he won the top prize at the Prix
de Rome competition with his
composition L Enfant Prodigue
(Prodigal Son)