Hello organ comunity! I am an organ student and as an assignmemt i need to analyse an organ piece from the impressionism. Does anyone have any suggestion what piece should i pick? I would be really greatful for anykind of advice.
For example, his Piano Concerto and his Lyric Pieces sound like a mix between Romanticism and Impressionism, especially his Nocturne, 2nd Movement of his Piano Concerto, Wedding at Troldhaugen, Butterfly, middle part of March of the Trolls etc. The Lyric Pieces are the ones that are more Impressionistic and are incredibly magical. I think he was quite ahead of his time.
This may be a bit of a noob question, but is there a single, definitive idea that describes impressionist music?
I've always grappled with the theoretical difference between impressionist music and other forms of programme music. I know that impressionism has that unique sound through its unique harmony, with that ethereal and floaty sound. But I figured that there has to be a bigger difference that just sounding light and dainty. The answer I always memorized was that impressionism seeks to convey a mood, or a faint, blurry image at most, instead of an entire narrative, but don't plenty of other pieces--Chopin's preludes, waltzes, nocturnes, etc.--do the same thing? The nocturnes, for example, don't really tell a story as much as they convey the mood of a night.
Meanwhile, music like Le Tombeau de Couperin is supposedly impressionist, but it sounds more like absolute music than anything. It incorporates the floaty, airy sound, but it doesn't sound like it's conveying any mood. It seems more like a Bach prelude than anything, to me.
I understand that art isn't always going to consistently fit into theoretical classifications, but this contradiction sticks out to me especially, so any ideas are appreciated.
I'm thinking perhaps greater variety with some micro-form structures maybe, in order to suppress strong rhythmic energies emerging and dominating. Any recommended reading, or scores to study? I'm specifically talking about the ethereal quality within impressionism here, not aspects of its harmony or timbre (which I do know are very important and not to be be under-estimated, etc - but those are not what I'm asking about today!).
i tried notating it as i remember it in my head
Here is the art Original pic
Here is the initials Here is his initials
I cannot seem to unsleuth! I've tried Google Lens and keep getting a woman named Carolina who did a lot of impressionism in France. She has one very similar to this, so I'm concerned this one may have copied hers. He has his initials at the bottom right, but we can't decifer it and have looked through many artist signatures sites. And I don't believe it's a reproduction, the way he used his pallet brush was truly gorgeous, it had tons of layers and paint plastered all over side of canvas. Please help me solve this puzzle!!! ♡♡♡
