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The Lighter Classics in Music by David Ewen

1884. In the compositions written in Rome under the provisions of the

774 words  |  Chapter 12

Prix he already revealed his independence of thought and unorthodoxy of style. After returning from Rome to Paris he became influenced not only by the Impressionist movement in French art and the Symbolist movement in French literature but also by the iconoclastic musical approaches and idioms of Erik Satie. Debussy now began to develop his own techniques and mannerisms and to crystallize his highly personal style. His first masterworks appeared between 1892 and 1893: the orchestral prelude, _The Afternoon of a Faun_ (_L’Après-midi d’un faune_), and his string quartet. With later works for orchestra and for solo piano—and with his remarkable opera, _Pelleas and Melisande_, introduced at the Opéra-Comique on April 30, 1902—he brought musical Impressionism to its highest technical development and to its most advanced stage of artistic fulfillment. He became the musical poet of the most subtle suggestions, elusive moods, and delicate impressions. A victim of cancer, Debussy suffered severely in the closing years of his life. He died in Paris on March 25, 1918, on a day when the city was being bombarded by the Germans during World War I. Because of the war, his death passed unnoticed except by a handful of friends. Debussy’s greatest works are, to be sure, too complex in technique and too subtle in style to enjoy ready consumption by the general public. But a few of his compositions have a wide appeal because their charm and sensitivity are easily comprehended, even at first hearing. One of these is the delightful piano suite, _Children’s Corner_ (1908) written by the composer for the delight of his little daughter, Chou-Chou. In it Debussy evokes the imaginative world of the child; but he also produces unsophisticated descriptive music that is readily appreciated by the very young. Debussy used English rather than French titles for this work because he wished to suggest the kind of stories and games that involve an English governess and a French child. André Caplet’s orchestration of this suite is famous. There are six brief movements. The first, “Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum,” is a satire on young pianists and their struggles with five-finger exercises. This is followed by “Jimbo’s Lullaby,” a tender lullaby crooned by a child to his toy elephant named Jimbo. In the third movement, “Serenade for a Doll,” the child turns from his pet elephant to his pet doll to croon to it a sensitive serenade. “The Snow Is Falling” is a tone picture of a snowfall, seen by a child from his window. “The Little Shepherd” is a pastoral piece of music. The most famous movement of the suite is the last one, “Golliwogg’s Cakewalk” in which the composer exploits the style and rhythm of a Negro dance popular in America in the 19th century, the cakewalk. In this movement, the composer maliciously interpolates a fragment from the Prelude of Wagner’s _Tristan and Isolde_. The beloved _Clair de Lune_ (_Moonlight_) is probably the composer’s most celebrated melody. This is a poetic, sensitive evocation of the peace and beauty of a moonlight light. It comes from his _Suite bergamasque_ for piano (1890), where it can be found as the third of four movements. Orchestral transcriptions have made this piece of music world-famous. _The Girl With the Flaxen Hair_ (_La Fille aux cheveux de lin_) is an exquisite portrait, in the composer’s most felicitous impressionist style. It is the eighth number of his Preludes for the piano, Book I (1910), and like _Clair de lune_ is often heard in various orchestral transcriptions; Arthur Hartmann’s adaptation for violin and piano is also familiar. The _Petite Suite_ (_Little Suite_) for piano duet (1889) is early Debussy, more in the Romantic vein of Delibes than in the provocative idiom Debussy later made famous. As orchestrated by Henri Busser it is in the repertory of many salon and pop orchestras. There are four short movements. The first, “_En Bateau_” (“_In a Boat_”) is particularly popular. In the orchestration a gentle barcarolle melody for flute suggests the gentle course of the boat in a placid lake. This is followed by turns by a vigorous episode and a passionate section, both of them for the strings. The flute then restores placidity, and the opening sensitive melody returns in the violins. “_Cortège_” (“March”) is a pert little march tune shared by the woodwind and strings. “_Menuet_” is of classic grace while the finale, “_Ballet_,” has a compelling rhythmic vigor. _Rêverie_ (1890) is a brief, atmospheric piece for the piano which has became a favorite with Americans because in 1938 it was adapted into the popular song, “My Reverie.” Léo Delibes Léo Delibes was born in St. Germain-du-Val, France, on February 21,
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1. Chapter 1 2. introduction, random phrases bring up the image of various attitudes and 3. 1884. He acquired his musical training in Prague and with Felix Mottl in 4. Introduction there appear fragments of the first dance; these same 5. 1894. He began his music study in Kansas City: piano with his mother; 6. 1803. As a young man he was sent to Paris to study medicine, but music 7. 1918. Early music study took place with private piano teachers, and 8. 1833. He was trained in the sciences, having attended the Academy of 9. introduction or coda, originated as a piece for piano duet: the 10. 1886. While attending the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he 11. 1899. He made his stage debut in 1911 in a fairy play, and for the next 12. 1884. In the compositions written in Rome under the provisions of the 13. 1836. After attending the Paris Conservatory from 1848 on, he became an 14. 1873. The plot revolves around a peasant boy whom a Marquis is trying to 15. episode depicts a pair of lovers in a secluded corner; the principal 16. 1931. He died in Worcester, England, on February 23, 1934. 17. 1902. The opening brisk, restless music is recalled after a full 18. 1916. He was graduated with honors from the National Conservatory in his 19. 1865. As a boy he studied music privately while attending a technical 20. 1612. During the struggle between Russia and Poland, Romanov becomes the 21. introduction, a vigorous Mazurka melody unfolds. This leads to a second 22. 1870. A prodigy pianist, he attended the Berlin High School for Music, 23. 1878. He came from a distinguished musical family. His uncles were Sam 24. 1875. The _Bacchanale_ takes place at the beginning of Act 3 in which a 25. 1872. After studying music with private teachers in New York, he 26. introduction, the cellos and violas in unison offer the strains of 27. 1734. After receiving some music instruction in his native town, he came 28. 1755. The general belief is that it was used by a certain Richard 29. introduction in which a stately idea is offered by the woodwind. In the 30. 1882. After receiving some piano instruction from his mother he was sent 31. introduction. The second, “The Cowherd’s Tune,” begins with a slow, 32. 1930. It is not quite clear who actually wrote this song. It was 33. 1832. Hérold died of consumption in Paris on January 19, 1833 before 34. 1854. He attended the Cologne Conservatory where his teachers included 35. episode in which is described the descent of the fairies who provide a 36. 1859. He was graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1882 37. 1885. Precocious in music he completed a piano sonata when he was only 38. introduction and the coda came the succession of lilting, lovable, 39. 1895. The son of a choirmaster, he himself was a boy chorister, at the 40. 1809. His grandfather was the famous philosopher, Moses Mendelssohn; his 41. 1756. The son of Leopold, Kapellmeister at the court of the Salzburg 42. 1858. While studying medicine, he attended the Berlin High School for 43. 1920. Ochs died in Berlin on February 6, 1929. 44. 1834. For nine years he attended the Milan Conservatory where he wrote 45. 1916. He continued to develop his own personality, formulating his 46. 1900. It was a blood and thunder drama set in Rome at the turn of the 47. 1873. He attended the St. Petersburg Conservatory for three years, and 48. 1909. He also distinguished himself as a conductor, first at the Bolshoi 49. introduction are amplified and developed. A brilliant coda leads to the 50. 1829. He studied the piano with Alexandre Villoing after which, in 1839 51. episode now appears in woodwind and violins after which the folk song 52. 1897. In 1897 Sousa was a tourist in Italy when he heard the news that 53. 1899. A century was coming to an end, and with it an entire epoch. This 54. 1898. Between 1876 and 1881 he was principal of, and professor of 55. 1889. After the operatic pretension of the _Yeomen of the Guard_ which 56. 1887. Because the Murgatroyd family has persecuted witches, an evil 57. introduction after which comes the brisk melody for woodwind followed by 58. introduction—with forceful chords in full orchestra—leads to a beautiful 59. introduction. The second aria is Philine’s polonaise, “_Je suis 60. 1843. “The Flying Dutchman” is a ship on which the Dutchman must sail 61. 1896. After completing his music study at the Prague Conservatory, and 62. 1872. After attending the Royal College of Music, he studied composition 63. episode. A third popular orchestral excerpt from this opera is the 64. 1809. Little is known of his career beyond the fact that his music 65. 1901. Zeller died in Baden near Vienna on August 17, 1898.

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