Week 5-Reflection

Week 5-Reflection Student’s Name Institution Affiliation Course Name & Code Instructor’s Name Date Week 5-Reflection Introduction "Clair de Lune" is one of the famous compositions in a "Suite bergamasque" by Claude Debussy. Writing in the late nineteenth century represents the impressionist movements in music, where the instruction emphasized mood instead of information. When I first listened to the piece, I felt it was unconcerned with anything currently happening in the world and had a relatively serene and somewhat sentimental disposition. The main idea of the piece is soft and lyrical; the volume is constantly changing, contributing to the contemplative character of the music. Recurrent Characters – Abstract or Concrete "Clair de lune" uses a primary melodic motif, a form of the main theme, shown as a gently moving line that appears all over the composition. This theme is elaborated through dynamics and harmonization, cohesion, and change to present an impression of ongoing progression. For the basis of the central theme, there is a constant pattern used for arpeggios that descends and helps add a small quantity of mournfulness to the overall feel of the composition (Deutsche Grammophon – DG, 2019). In this waltz, some fancy variations are made to keep captivating the audience without straying too far from the theme. Rhythmic Patterns In "Clair de Lune," the beat is usually slow and persists, which adds to the impression that this is a soothing piece. Entering into the relative minor for its central portion, the piece is predominantly in 9/8 time and feels like a dance. Some irregular rhythm and local hesitations before resuming the steady pace are enough to be amusing but not enough to threaten the uncomplicated calm (Deutsche Grammophon – DG, 2019). The metro rhythms establish continuity and motion, which undeniably makes this piece dreamy and reflective. Main Melody The first melody of "Clair de Lune" is perhaps the piece's most immediately recognizable part, as simple and engaging lines characterize it. It has smooth, curvilinear shapes, giving a feeling of serenity and memory recall. The tune changes gradually throughout the composition, and the change of harmony and dynamic can all keep people interested without being too dramatic of a departure from the first theme (Deutsche Grammophon – DG, 2019). The song's tune is simple and graceful; thus, it can be referred to as belonging to a classic creation that anyone can play regardless of age. Comparison to Other Music This makes me think of other impressionist pieces, such as the ones by Maurice Ravel (Ravel, n.d.). The work has same chord progression and melodic structure with Ravel's 'Pavane pour une infante défunte.' In particular, Chopin had similar tendencies to combine European and Oriental motifs in the details of the work. In his text, Edenstrahl also uses homophonic, flowing, gentle melodies and very moderate dynamics (Deutsche Grammophon—DG, 2019). This is musical impressionism, as the work's focus is the particular mood and atmosphere typical of this period. Instrumentation Scriabin usually enchants this melody with a piano, which offers vast potential dynamics and plays with emotions. This gives the impression of two opposites uptalking, with the left hand steady as a bass while the right hand plays the themes (Deutsche Grammophon—DG, 2019). Due to opinions of expressi...