Impressionism to the 21st Century: A Musical Journey
Impressionism
Claude Debussy (French)
Style: Impressionism
Musical Skill: Pianist and composer
Works: Orchestral works (Nocturnes, La Mer), piano music (Children’s Corner, 12 Etudes), chamber music, opera, and miscellaneous works.
Verismo
Definition: The trend of “Realism” in late 19th-century Italian opera, featuring everyday characters, dramatic situations (love, betrayal, jealousy, death), and prevalent from 1890 to the early 1900s.
Early Composers and Operas:
- Pietro Mascagni: Rustic Chivalry
- Ruggiero Leoncavallo: The Strolling Players
Puccini
“Che gelida manina” from La Bohème
Situation: Rodolfo, a poor artist, encounters his neighbor Mimi who needs a match. They lose her key and as they search, he touches her hand. He describes his poverty but expresses hope and asks for her name.
Rent: A Modern Adaptation
Similarities:
- Love story between Mimi and Roger
- Use of the same character names
Differences:
- Setting in New York City
- Mimi’s profession as a stripper
20th Century Music
Characteristics:
- Significant use of dissonance (70-100%)
- Conceptual approach to musical creativity
- New relationships between composer, performer, audience, and the world
- New performance techniques for singers and instrumentalists
Definitions
Expressionism: German style (late 19th/early 20th century) with dark, disturbing subject matter reflecting emotional and mental distress, social commentary, and themes of persecution, poverty, immorality, and violence.
Sprechstimme: A vocal technique where pitches are approximated rather than sung precisely.
Aleatory:
Composers provide elements, but performers’ choices determine the exact performance.
Prepared Piano:
Non-musical materials (metal, glass, etc.) are placed on/in strings for unique sounds.
Minimalism:
Style using minimal musical patterns with little variation, creating a trance-like effect (influenced by Indian ragas).
The Rite of Spring
Composed for: Ballets Russes dance company
Premiere: May 1913, Paris
Audience Response:
A mixture of excitement and outrage, with some booing and arguing due to the unconventional music, choreography, and costumes.
Plot: Ancient pagan rituals culminating in a human sacrifice to the God of Spring.
Music: Rhythmic “chaos,” strong dissonances, and unconventional use of instruments (extreme pitches, harsh sounds).
Dancing: Non-traditional costumes and “naturalistic” choreography (ungraceful positions, jumping, floor work).
Schoenberg (German)
Contribution: Developed the 12-tone system around 1921.
Pierrot Lunaire
Source: 21 poems by Albert Giraud
Themes: Madness, alienation, compulsion
Edgard Varèse
Ionisation
Distinction: First piece primarily for percussion instruments (drums, piano, anvils, siren).
Title: Refers to the ionization of molecules.
Socialist Realism (Russia, 1932-1992)
Context: Governmental control of arts under Joseph Stalin.
Impact on Artists:
Artists were expected to glorify Socialism. Agencies investigated, documented, and censored artists. Punishments were imposed on those deemed inappropriate, including imprisonment and even death.
Shostakovich’s Experience:
- Denounced in 1936 for his opera Lady Macbeth of Minsk.
- Denounced again in 1948, music banned, forced to publicly repent.
- Family privileges revoked, periodic work bans.
- Experienced periods of approval and awards.
- Imprisoned in the Arcangel camp.
- Wrote Testimony, a memoir smuggled out and published in 1979.
Charles Ives
Philosophy: All music and experimentation are valid. Sincerity and quality can outweigh rules.
Putnam’s Camp, Redding, Connecticut
Background: Inspired by a Revolutionary War campsite of General Israel Putnam, who fought at Bunker Hill.
John Cage
4’33”
Description: 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence.
Responses: Polarizing, with strong opinions of love or hate, and questions about its validity as music.
George Crumb
Black Angels
Inspiration: Vietnam War
Compositional Features:
- Electric string quartet
- Alternative graphic circular notation
Graphic Notation: Representing music through visual symbols beyond traditional notation.
Philip Glass (American)
Style: Minimalism in various forms.
Satyagraha
Meaning: “Firmness of truth”
Subject: Mahatma Gandhi
Setting: South Africa during Gandhi’s response to injustices against Indians. It depicts his spiritual journey towards non-violence and his fight for equal rights.
Tan Dun (Chinese)
Known for: Soundtrack of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).
Farewell from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Chinese Instrument: Erhu
Traditional Instrument: Cello
Relation to Story: Represents the parting of two lovers, with the erhu melody symbolizing the woman and the cello melody the man.
Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble
Name: Inspired by the Silk Road, an ancient network of trade routes connecting East and West.
Activities: Promotes collaboration between Eastern and Western artists, commissions new chamber music, produces recordings and educational materials.
Purpose: To foster cross-cultural understanding and appreciation through music.