🎸Music History – 1850 to Present Unit 3 – Impressionism & Symbolism in Music

Key Concepts and Context

• Impressionism and Symbolism emerged as influential artistic movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
• Originated in France and spread throughout Europe and beyond
• Challenged traditional artistic conventions and sought to evoke moods, emotions, and subjective experiences
• Impressionism focused on capturing fleeting moments and sensory impressions (light, color, atmosphere)
• Symbolism emphasized the use of symbols, metaphors, and abstract ideas to convey deeper meanings
  • Explored themes of dreams, fantasy, and the subconscious mind
• Both movements influenced various art forms, including music, painting, literature, and poetry
• Key figures in Impressionism include Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir (painting), Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel (music)
• Notable Symbolist artists include Paul Gauguin and Odilon Redon (painting), Stéphane Mallarmé and Paul Verlaine (poetry)

Historical Background

• Emerged in the late 19th century, a time of significant social, cultural, and technological changes
• Influenced by the Industrial Revolution, urbanization, and advancements in science and philosophy
• Reaction against the rigidity and formality of academic art and music
• Impressionism developed in the 1860s and 1870s, initially in painting and later in music
  • Term "Impressionism" derived from Claude Monet's painting "Impression, Sunrise" (1872)
• Symbolism emerged in the 1880s as a literary and artistic movement
  • Manifesto "Le Symbolisme" published by Jean Moréas in 1886
• Paris served as a central hub for both movements, attracting artists and intellectuals from around the world
• Influenced by various philosophical and literary ideas, including the works of Charles Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe

Influential Composers and Works

• Claude Debussy (1862-1918) - French composer, a key figure in musical Impressionism
  • Notable works: "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" (1894), "La Mer" (1905), "Clair de Lune" (1890)
• Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) - French composer, known for his Impressionistic and Symbolist works
  • Notable works: "Daphnis et Chloé" (1912), "Pavane pour une infante défunte" (1899), "Gaspard de la nuit" (1908)
• Erik Satie (1866-1925) - French composer, associated with Impressionism and Dadaism
  • Notable works: "Gymnopédies" (1888), "Gnossiennes" (1890), "Parade" (1917)
• Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) - French composer, influenced by Impressionism
  • Notable works: "Requiem" (1890), "Pavane" (1887), "Pelléas et Mélisande" (1898)
• Other composers influenced by Impressionism and Symbolism include Isaac Albéniz, Frederick Delius, and Karol Szymanowski

Musical Characteristics

• Emphasis on timbre, texture, and atmosphere over traditional melody and harmony
• Use of non-traditional scales and modes (whole-tone scale, pentatonic scale)
• Blurred boundaries between tonality and atonality
  • Avoidance of clear cadences and resolutions
• Extensive use of chromaticism, parallel motion, and unresolved dissonances
• Exploration of new instrumental techniques and orchestral colors
  • Use of harp, celesta, and unusual percussion instruments
• Evocative and descriptive titles, often inspired by nature, poetry, or visual art
• Rhythmic fluidity and flexibility, often with a sense of improvisation
• Influence of non-Western music, particularly from Asia and the Middle East (gamelan, Japanese music)

Symbolism in Music

• Use of musical symbols and motifs to represent ideas, emotions, or characters
• Exploration of the relationship between music and other art forms, particularly literature and poetry
• Emphasis on the suggestive and evocative power of music
  • Ability to convey abstract concepts and inner experiences
• Use of leitmotifs (recurring musical themes) to represent specific ideas or characters
• Incorporation of literary and mythological references in musical works
• Collaboration with Symbolist poets and artists (Debussy and Mallarmé, Ravel and Maeterlinck)
• Exploration of the subconscious mind and dream-like states through music
• Use of musical form and structure to convey symbolic meanings (cyclic form, thematic transformation)

Cultural and Artistic Connections

• Close relationship between Impressionism and Symbolism in music and other art forms
• Influence of Impressionist painting on musical composition
  • Use of color, light, and atmosphere as musical elements
• Collaboration between composers and visual artists (Debussy and Monet, Ravel and Bakst)
• Influence of Symbolist poetry on musical works
  • Setting of Symbolist texts by composers (Debussy's "Pelléas et Mélisande", Ravel's "Shéhérazade")
• Reflection of broader cultural and intellectual trends (Japonisme, exoticism, psychology)
• Contribution to the development of modernism and avant-garde movements in the early 20th century
• Influence on other artistic disciplines, including dance (Ballets Russes) and theater (Maeterlinck's plays)

Legacy and Influence

• Lasting impact on the development of 20th-century music
• Influence on subsequent composers and musical styles (Neoclassicism, Expressionism, Minimalism)
  • Composers influenced by Impressionism and Symbolism include Igor Stravinsky, Arnold Schoenberg, and John Cage
• Expansion of the musical language and exploration of new compositional techniques
• Contribution to the breaking down of traditional tonality and the emergence of atonality
• Influence on the development of film music and soundtrack composition
• Continued popularity and performance of Impressionist and Symbolist works in the classical music repertoire
• Inspiration for contemporary artists and musicians across various genres (jazz, pop, ambient)

Notable Performances and Recordings

• "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" - Pierre Boulez conducting the Cleveland Orchestra (1991)
• "La Mer" - Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic (2004)
• "Daphnis et Chloé" - Charles Dutoit conducting the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (1980)
• "Gaspard de la nuit" - Ivo Pogorelich, piano (1983)
• "Gymnopédies" and "Gnossiennes" - Pascal Rogé, piano (1983)
• "Pelléas et Mélisande" - Claudio Abbado conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, with Maria Ewing and François Le Roux (1991)
• "Requiem" - John Rutter conducting the Cambridge Singers and the City of London Sinfonia (1988)
• "Pavane pour une infante défunte" - Sviatoslav Richter, piano (1965)