20th-Century Music – Impressionism

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing essential terms, techniques, scales, composers, and representative works related to Impressionist music discussed in the lecture.

Impressionism (Music)

A late-19th- / early-20th-century French movement that prioritized mood, color, and atmosphere over traditional form and narrative.

20th-Century Music

A modern era of composition marked by new harmonic languages, experimental forms, and movements such as Impressionism.

Harmonic Innovation

The Impressionist practice of using unconventional scales and extended chords to create tonal ambiguity and fluidity.

Whole Tone Scale

A scale built entirely of whole-step intervals, producing an ethereal, ambiguous sound with no half steps.

Parallel Chords

Chords that move in lockstep, maintaining identical interval relationships while transposing up or down.

Gliding (Sliding) Chords

Smooth chord progressions that emphasize minimal voice movement for seamless transitions.

Dissonance

A combination of tones creating tension or instability that seeks resolution, adding emotional depth.

Color and Texture

Impressionist focus on timbre and orchestral palette, experimenting with instrumental combinations to evoke imagery.

Form and Structure (Impressionism)

Less reliance on classical forms; preference for free-flowing, spontaneous architectures that mirror natural movement.

Rhythm and Meter (Impressionism)

Flexible rhythms and shifting meters that generate a sense of fluidity or instability.

Extended Chords

Harmonic structures that add 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, or 13ths, enriching tonal color in Impressionist works.

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

French pioneer of musical Impressionism, known for innovative scales, ambiguous tonality, and evocative orchestration.

Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune

Debussy’s orchestral piece famed for lush textures and groundbreaking timbral color.

La Mer

Debussy’s orchestral triptych that musically depicts the sea through shifting harmonic and textural landscapes.

Clair de Lune

Debussy’s piano work renowned for its serene atmosphere and delicate harmonic language.

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

French composer associated with Impressionism, celebrated for meticulous structure, vivid orchestration, and rhythmic complexity.

Rhapsodie Espagnole

Ravel’s orchestral suite that showcases exotic color and masterful orchestration inspired by Spanish themes.

Boléro

Ravel’s one-movement orchestral piece featuring relentless rhythm, gradual crescendo, and brilliant orchestration.

Symbolism and Imagery (in Debussy)

Use of musical suggestion to evoke nature, mythology, or poetic scenes rather than explicit description.

Timbral Exploration

Experimentation with instrumental color and combinations to craft specific moods central to Impressionism.

Exoticism (in Ravel)

Incorporation of non-Western scales, rhythms, and sonorities to create fresh, colorful soundscapes.

Pentatonic Scale

Five-note scale employed by Debussy and others to produce open, folk-like sonorities within Impressionist harmony.