LIFE
-1862-1918
- born near Paris in St. Germain-en-Laye where father owned a china shop, mother seamstress
-1872-84 entered Paris conservatory at age 10, shocked teachers with bizarre harmonies that defied all rules, Impressionism (Symbolism)
-1880-1882 part of piano trio for Nadezhda con Meck (Tchaikovsky's patron) and taught children piano, travelled around Italy, Russia and became familiar with Russian music
-several scandalous romantic relationships
-1883 2nd place in Priz de Rome
-1884-87 won Prix de Rome for cantata L'enfant Prodigue-felt Rome was a dreary exile from the café's of Paris, heard Gregorian music and began studying Medieval church modes
-1889 World Exhibition in Paris- heard non-Western music and ensembles such as the Javanese (Indonesian) gamelon performers (new scales and unmetered style)
-1890s most productive decade as a pianist, conductor and collaborative artist-mature style 'supple music easily adaptable to the lyrical fantasy of dreams and of the soul'
-1902 PelléIas et Mélisande opera based on drama of symbolist post Maurice Maeterlinck, international success despite criticism for decadence, lacking in form, melody, substance
-1900-1914 Debussy travelled through Europe conducting his works, reputation as the foremost music critic of his time in artistic journals
-1908 married singer Emma Bardac (married before in 1899, Emma was also married to a banker before marrying Debussy), already had a daughter in 1905
-appointed to advisory board of Paris Conservatoire
-interacted with Fauré, Satie, Chausson, Ravel and Stravinsky in Paris
-music began to evolve away from Impressionist style-abstract, more spare sonority
-developed cancer but continued to compose
-1914 WWI-did not compose for a year, but decided to create beauty in war through music
-1918 died from cancer during the bombardment of Paris
- born near Paris in St. Germain-en-Laye where father owned a china shop, mother seamstress
-1872-84 entered Paris conservatory at age 10, shocked teachers with bizarre harmonies that defied all rules, Impressionism (Symbolism)
-1880-1882 part of piano trio for Nadezhda con Meck (Tchaikovsky's patron) and taught children piano, travelled around Italy, Russia and became familiar with Russian music
-several scandalous romantic relationships
-1883 2nd place in Priz de Rome
-1884-87 won Prix de Rome for cantata L'enfant Prodigue-felt Rome was a dreary exile from the café's of Paris, heard Gregorian music and began studying Medieval church modes
-1889 World Exhibition in Paris- heard non-Western music and ensembles such as the Javanese (Indonesian) gamelon performers (new scales and unmetered style)
-1890s most productive decade as a pianist, conductor and collaborative artist-mature style 'supple music easily adaptable to the lyrical fantasy of dreams and of the soul'
-1902 PelléIas et Mélisande opera based on drama of symbolist post Maurice Maeterlinck, international success despite criticism for decadence, lacking in form, melody, substance
-1900-1914 Debussy travelled through Europe conducting his works, reputation as the foremost music critic of his time in artistic journals
-1908 married singer Emma Bardac (married before in 1899, Emma was also married to a banker before marrying Debussy), already had a daughter in 1905
-appointed to advisory board of Paris Conservatoire
-interacted with Fauré, Satie, Chausson, Ravel and Stravinsky in Paris
-music began to evolve away from Impressionist style-abstract, more spare sonority
-developed cancer but continued to compose
-1914 WWI-did not compose for a year, but decided to create beauty in war through music
-1918 died from cancer during the bombardment of Paris
STYLE
-considered 'art' to be a sensuous experience
-reacted against the epic themes of the Classical and Romantic-French music should be clear, slegant, simple and give pleasure
-sought to liberate music from past conventions and traditions-form, harmony, meter
-rejected traditional forms (sonata-allegro, grand opera...)-ponderous, tedious and predictable
-worked with short, flexible forms
-Impressionist style seeks to evoke an image-subtle, discreet, studies in changing light
-influence of 'exotic' music: Russian, Spanish, Javanese (Indonesian)
-orchestration-large orchestra, but not a loud sound-muted, airy texture, single instruments stand out against ensemble
-worked slowly, not a large output of compositions
-piano music- distinctive style, use of register contrast, pedal to blend sounds, clash of dissonances, parallel 'gliding' chords, use of non-Western scales
-established French art song as a genre independant of German Lied-used text from French Symbolist poets (Baudelaire, Verlaine, Mallarmé)
-reacted against the epic themes of the Classical and Romantic-French music should be clear, slegant, simple and give pleasure
-sought to liberate music from past conventions and traditions-form, harmony, meter
-rejected traditional forms (sonata-allegro, grand opera...)-ponderous, tedious and predictable
-worked with short, flexible forms
-Impressionist style seeks to evoke an image-subtle, discreet, studies in changing light
-influence of 'exotic' music: Russian, Spanish, Javanese (Indonesian)
-orchestration-large orchestra, but not a loud sound-muted, airy texture, single instruments stand out against ensemble
-worked slowly, not a large output of compositions
-piano music- distinctive style, use of register contrast, pedal to blend sounds, clash of dissonances, parallel 'gliding' chords, use of non-Western scales
-established French art song as a genre independant of German Lied-used text from French Symbolist poets (Baudelaire, Verlaine, Mallarmé)
WORKS
-classified by year or by L1-141 by François Lesure in 1977
-orchestral music: including Prelude à l'après-midi d'un faune (1894), La Mer (1905), Images (1912), incidental music
-dramatic works: including opera Pelléas et Mélisande (1902), and ballet Jeux (1913)
-chamber music: string quartet, sonatas...
-piano music: including Pour le Piano (1901), Estampes (1903), 2 books of Preludes (1909-10 and 1912-13), 12 Etudes (1915)
-songs and choral music
-orchestral music: including Prelude à l'après-midi d'un faune (1894), La Mer (1905), Images (1912), incidental music
-dramatic works: including opera Pelléas et Mélisande (1902), and ballet Jeux (1913)
-chamber music: string quartet, sonatas...
-piano music: including Pour le Piano (1901), Estampes (1903), 2 books of Preludes (1909-10 and 1912-13), 12 Etudes (1915)
-songs and choral music
TERMS
-glissando: rapid slide through pitches of a scale
-symphonic poem: single movement, orchestra, programmatic
-symphonic poem: single movement, orchestra, programmatic