Lewis Hastie z5112786

Impressionism

Impressionism was first used in its application to art, describing a

movement of Parisian painters that emerged during the latter half of
the 19th century; French art critic Jules Castagnary, in describing
Claude Monets Impression: Sunrise, characterized the movement
They are impressionists in the sense that they render not the
landscape, but the sensations produced by the landscape
(Herbert). Palmer expands on this description, illustrating the main
concern of the Impressionists was not rendering reality, but the
sensations evoked, a generalized impression (1973, p. 1-2).

Its usage in music was first observed in 1887, as a critique upon

Claude Debussys Printemps by members of Acadmie des Beaux-
Arts. They described a strong feeling of musical colour, however a
lacking in accuracy of line and form and that [Debussy], should
beware this vague impressionism (Byrnside, 1980, p. 522-523). In
the following decade Debussys compositions such as the String
Quartet, and Prlude a L'aprs-midi d'un faune among others would
continue to attract attention; according to Byrnside, something in
the nature of Debussys music caused the label Impressionism to
begin to appear in musical discussion.

The technical features that define much of the impressionistic sound

exhibit a departure from that of its Late-Romantic predecessors.
Emphasis on large-scale forms as the Symphony, thematic
development and structure was replaced, with an interest in
individual, smaller forms. Use of unconventional scales and modes,
such as the whole-tone, and an interest in oriental flavored
pentatonics and non-western sonorities; an increase in chromaticism
and new harmonic combinations, often leaving an ambiguous or
non-existent tonality were prevalent. Parallel octaves, fifths, and
extended non-functional chords of the 9th, 11th, 13th were used
frequently, a focus on unprepared and unresolved dissonances of
the second, fourth and seventh were explored. Gasser indicates the
large prominence in creative exploration of timbre during this
period, a large focus given on the texture or colour an orchestra
produces, through irregular usage and uncommon instrumentation;
in works for the solo piano such as Debussys Preludes, and Ravels
Miroirs, extremes of the register and its unique timbre are
examined.

Those that followed Debussy under the label, Impressionist consist

of composers such as Erik Satie, Maurice Ravel, Manuel de Falla,
Isaac Albeniz, and Alexander Scriabin, among others. Palmer
illustrates the differing interpretations and contributions to the
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genre, composers modifying their works and Debussyian

harmony as according to their own strengths and personalities.
(1973, p. 24)

Palmer in his Impressionism in Music, although providing concise

information about the history of the term and the features included
in the music, is constrained to the bias of his thesis: that Debussy
and subsequent composers of the era were influenced most heavily
by Impressionism in art. Whilst mentioning them, he fails to
recognize the symbolist, exoticist, and even nationalistic traits
existent within the music, therefore providing an incomplete
definition. In his critique of Christopher Palmers book Impressionism
in music, Arthur Wenck outlines the analogy between
impressionism as art and Impressionistic Music rests on false
premises. (1974, p. 54). Gasser, in his web description, briefly
addresses these issues, however due to the concise and elementary
introduction necessitated by the website medium, provides mostly
technical features to introduce the style. Gasser, similar to Palmer,
provides an incomplete definition, yet provides succinct information
without proposing an apparent bias.

References:

Byrnside, Ronald L, 1980. Musical Impressionism: The Early History

of the Term. The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 66 No. 4, 522-537.

Gasser, Nolan. 1800. Classical Archives. Available at:

http://www.classicalarchives.com/period/8.html. [Accessed 15 March
2017].

Herbert, James D, "Impressionism" Encyclopedia of Aesthetics.

Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press, Available at:
http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/opr/t234/e0285
[Accessed 15 March 2017].

Palmer, Christopher, 1973. Impressionism in Music. 1st ed. London:

The Hutchinson Publishing Group Ltd.

Wenck, Arthur B, 1974. Impressionism in Music by Christopher

Palmer. Notes, Music Library Association, Vol. 31 No.1, 53-55.
Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/895928 [Accessed 15 March
2017].