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Questions and Answers
What musical technique did Debussy use to lessen tension in his compositions?
Which of the following best describes the emotional character of Debussy's Nocturnes: No. 1, Nuages?
How did Scriabin's music differ from the traditional tonality of composers like Rachmaninoff?
Which of the following is true about the musical style of Rachmaninoff?
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What was the primary focus of the 'classical modernists' like Debussy compared to previous composers?
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Which of the following best describes the musical language used by Debussy and Scriabin?
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What is one significant difference between Claude Debussy and Alexander Scriabin's approach to music composition?
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In terms of harmony, how did Serge Rachmaninoff differ from Alexander Scriabin?
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Which musical technique did Claude Debussy employ in his compositions that was unconventional and challenged previous norms?
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What distinguished Impressionism in music as exemplified by Claude Debussy from traditional musical styles?
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What was a key motivator for Alexander Scriabin to deviate from conventional tonality in his compositions?
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How did traditional composers like Beethoven differ from Claude Debussy in terms of musical expression?
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Study Notes
First Generation of Modernist Composers
France: Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
- Developed Impressionism in music and Symbolism in music
- Removed dramatic narrative from compositions, suggesting ideas without directly stating them
- Techniques: used modes, pentatonic and octatonic scales, and parallelism to reduce tension
- Employed parallel fifths, which were previously avoided
- Example: Nocturnes: No. 1, Nuages (NAWM 172) - peaceful, spacey, with an ostinato and pizzicato "raindrops" effect
Russia: Traditional Harmony
- Serge Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
- Composed in a more traditional harmony style
- Example: Prelude in G minor, Op. 23, No. 5 (NAWM 176) - features a "da-da-dutt" rhythm, with an exception in the middle section
Russia: Non-Traditional Harmony
- Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915)
- Moved away from conventional tonality, embracing spiritualism
- Believed music was a portal to transcendence
- Example: Vers la Flamme, Op. 72 (NAWM 177) - features very dissonant, but still tonal, music for piano solo
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Description
Explore the musical style of Claude Debussy, a leading figure in Impressionism in music, and the use of Symbolism in his compositions. Learn about how Debussy's music differs from previous classical composers like Beethoven, including techniques such as modes, pentatonic scales, and parallelism.
