Impressionism in Music: Characteristics of the Style and Composers who Created It 

"...It must never be shut in and become an academic art": The paradox is that now, Impressionism has become an academic thing.

I don’t know if your still out there but I really enjoyed this thank you for putting it together

My favourite movement! For fans of Debussy, I recommend looking into Maurice Emmanuel. He was an exact contemporary to Debussy and his 6 sonatinas are incredible works (the first two being from the 19th century but sounding like they're from 20 years later). Up there with Ravel's Miroirs and Debussy's Images in terms of quality. A must for fans of the Impressionists. Another fun anecdote I've heard is Ravel claimed it was impossible to write effectively for hte piano anymore, so Florent Schmitt responded by creating Les Lucioles from Nuits Romaines. After hearing this piece, Ravel promptly composed Jeux D'eau. Great video! Thanks for the upload.

I can't believe I'm just now discovering you. You have good content and you're charming. Really says about how much of a niche this community really is. But keep up the great work!

Because of these lessons, I passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers. KUDOS!

Now i have a clear perspective about impressionism...thank you..

So beautiful it physically hurts

I love impressionism. It sounds just beautiful, in the most genuine sense of the word. My mom is a properly trained musician and sometimes she shows me what she considers beautiful music, but to me it sounds too.. idk grand? Insistent upon itself. Impressionist music on the other hand feels like it just exists. Whereas what my mom shows me is a cathedral lathered in Gold and ivory, impressionist music is something soft like light beams shining through the trees. Really hard to describe without going into pretentious metaphors, haha. (This isn't to dunk on my mom btw, there's value in the music she shows me and she still adores impressionism and is the reason I know it at all. It's just something I noticed in what either of us would describe as beauty).

Yay! I've been waiting for this video! Great stuff allysia! :)

This is a great video! Thank you for taking the time to make it and for explaining so thoughtfully :)

Thank you so much for publishing your music history videos. I have been using them with my Music Appreciation classes during our distance learning, and they are just the right amount of detail to support what I am teaching. Brava!

You just made my school presentation come alive Thank you

Yay for this video. It was very helpful for me as a music major. I’m thankful it was created! 🙌🏼

This is a wonderful video. Having Debussy's quotes along with playing Arabesque makes me realize why he's my favorite composer. Seemingly playing a different tune with each hand and putting it together, and having the whole thing float the way it does, is the way it makes a person's soul feel like it's floating when they listen to it, free to go wherever the music happens to take you.

Thank you so much for the wonderful video! The quality of your presentation and the information within was just what I needed to supplement my learning. Thank you!!

thank you for putting the impressionism playlist together, i'd love to see more of that if time and resources available. thank you, xo

Thank you so much! As I'm currently studying music history (specifically Debussy), this video was very helpful, informative, and interesting. Great job!

Thank you for making this! It really helped me with my Humanities class :)

Love your videos. Thank you! Studying Debussy's 1st Arabesque at the moment. What a brilliant piece ...

Thanks again for a really great video! I'm having to put together a presentation of all of the different eras of Western Classical, and your 'video essays' on the periods have had the perfect amount of information, and are presented in an engaging format. I especially like it when you present an example piece so, as a viewer, I can immediately pick up on the features you mean.

Thank you so much for this video!

Thank you for this! Im weirdly drawn to Debussy for the 1st time. As someone who relates her character and mood to the music/musician she listens to, out of all classical musicians from Vivaldi to Rachmaninoff.... Mozart has been my guy for 20 years.. and Tchaikovsky.. they're the easiest to connect to for me... Then suddenly, I'm turning to Debussy's music more and more lately.. I find it so random that I'm finding his music so relatable now. Thanks for the video!

Thank you for doing this!

This was super helpful and made things clear and easy to understand. Thank you so much!

Very clear, thank you.

Love the Video

Thanks for the value

Very informative, thank you.

Really interesting video. Especially the part where you explained what changed music theory-wise. That was an eye-opener. . Thanx ! :-)

From Scotland to Ireland... to... China!! Well, things escalated quickly there. loollll I love your channel :p Been watching a lot of your video's these past 2 days.. Being a semi advanced pianist, i think it's kinda amazing how much of the fundamental core principles of music i take for granted. It's a pleasure revisiting these things through your way of telling things. Kudos =)

Very informative❤

Every time I learn more about historical movements in the arts I think it is amazing how firmly philosophical roots and perspectives sit behind our taste- and from a historical perspective, how large scale changes have required clear and aligned engagement from the arts to translate the debate, and to frame or accompany popular shifts in sentiment. The Enlightenment wasn't delivered through stale academia, philosophy, maths and historians, but through translation of ideas into works by writers, artists and musicians. Political and social implications of Modernity didn't come about through scientific advancements alone - it wans't just Newton's theories and calculations, but the imagery of this clockwork, and the progressive political, musical and artistic movements that explored new possibilities from an industrial mindset. The thing I keep asking is...With all the evidence pointing to an urgent need for widespread social transformation to tackle the excesses that have come out and persisted through the 20th century, where are the artistic movements that can help us (re)see the causes of these issues, and explore cultural implications with some depth? I am a little concerned about what the current popular taste and trends in music, art and film might say about where we (western, cosmopolitan societies) are in respect to any deep social transformation. Our most popular global cultural movement is probably urban hip-hop. THis is not the original hip-hop of self-determination and activism, but a commercialised, shallow and very materialistic version of hip-hop. In terms of reflecting a worldview, it uses heavily controlled and constructed ideas, musical tools, components, lyrics and themes (and formulaic results, even if it samples from a wide pool). I imagined a popular musician saying something even remotely close to those Debussy quotes... how would they be accepted saying their music is inspired by "the supreme and moving beauty of the spectacle to which Nature invites her ephemeral guest" - or anything relatively deep about the 'why' they do music the way they do. I dont think they operate at that level- and the ones that do never seem to get popular. Would mainstream popular music listeners accept this lens to their music or would we denounce any attempt to do so as mixing politics with entertainment? And if change needs cultural engagement and translation at this deep level of engagement...why hasn't it come? It casts a whole new challenge (and I'd suggest insights into our political stagnation) regarding humanity's willingness to step-up to the challenges of our Planetary Age, and to address the issues of the Anthropocene. To me, we're stuck in this loop where we're gaining intellectual concern & complexity, but still seek to shape our response via Modernity's simplistic cultural optimism; we take complex issues that need us to rethink values and priorities but we chose to focus on finding technical solutions. Culture enables us to rest in normalcy and inaction, rather than asking us to own up to our problems, and work toward solutions that require us to change. If Debussy were alive, I wonder what music he'd make to challenge today's establishment. On a personal note, I found this interesting as it made me realise that I often find myself magnetised to a certain group of thinkers, artists and their approach to framing their work & exploration of life - those who see nature as their ultimate subject, but also value human experience, interpretations & emotions to give their audience an insight to new perspectives- they value rational investigation and experimentation but always keep the focus on the bigger whole- how reality makes us feel and moves us, rather than seeking to deconstruct and work/imagine from a 'blank slate'. And it's not just that I like the perspective, I seem to prefer the outputs. This episode was kind of like a blind test for me- I always liked Debussy, but I had no idea who he was or what was his philosophical alignment. In art, I've noticed I gravitate not so much to the impressionists, but the related next step in the movement -the post impressionists/fauvists/expressionists (matisse and co), and I stick with them all the way up to cubism. To me, there is something rich about exploring multiple viewpoints and experiences of the natural world...But artists/musicians (and politicians) usually start to lose me when they get too rigid and focused on being too literal, or too introspective and engrossed with their own ideas as the focus of what they're doing/expressing.

Thanks for the infos.. ill use some of it in my class

A BEAUTIFUL VIDEO

Great video

This topic is on our class topic too and i played this video while i reported my reports about this topic too

Nice video. Keep it up cheers

This is great! I don't use Spotify but will try to get the list from there to acquire elsewhere. Thank you from a non-pianist.

i broke my leg and my music classroom is down a steep hill there aren’t any ramps so i have to watch this thank you this is nice

Thank you

This reminds me of background music in old tv shows and movies.

Great video

Imagine impressionism tuned outside of a tempered tuning, that would be a true beauty.

Enjoyed the video... very helpful. Would've loved to see one or two female names on the list of composers who were influenced by him! (Cecile Chaminade, Lilli and Nadia Boulanger, etc.)

Before watching this video, I always thought Impressionism is all about scenery, like it's taking you to something or somewhere your eyes can see/feel. With other style it's more like understanding what that person feels about something, whether that be love, sadness, anger, etc.

Oh thank you so much ma'am...You just feed it .....

omg, thanks for the list impressionist on spotify!

I'm not really a pianist, but I play enough to use it for theory. I was improvising and what came out reminded me was like Satie Expressionist music. It's on my channel, I'm trying to orchestrate it, but it's hard because it was rubato and transcribing it has been tricky.

Impressionist music just works for my brain

The Debussy quote made me smile. As someone who composes (but is nowhere near the level of Claude Debussy) and sells his sheet music through SMP Press, I can attest that trying to label/brand music can be problematic. I probably wouldn't call the people who try to classify music as "imbeciles," though.:) Shawn R., Mo-Mutt Music #Music4URSpirit

I think I've heard that Ravel piece in a hip hop beat before.

I enjoyed it! Could you do an analysis on Eric Satie? Thx

Albaniz doesn't sound like impressionist to me. The impressionist music reminds me of rain mostly, that why I like it. I thought strange that you mentioned Albaniz and left Satie out. I really would like to buy the whole collection of impressionist recordings that was made some decades ago in the US. I just managed to buy one CD. I think the most famous pieces and composers were there. I liked your explanations a lot, for I really did not know how impressionist music was related with impressionist paintings. No matter if Debussy called us all imbeciles, we will continue to call this style of music impressionist. I don't think it has really stopped in the beginning of the twentieth century. I believe anonymous composers continue to write pieces just to be found some day. Thanks for the video. Your "Englishness" does not diminish the explanation, just add to it.

amen tama ean! hi from evc 😋

from the impresionism musical characteristics ,what certain song or can you associate them with?

Where can I find the spotify playlist?

How do I find the spotify playlist

Yaaas clair de lune 👍🏻👍🏻 The first thing i hear lol

Is the playlist gone?

I tried clicking on the link but it keeps taking me to the search bar. Is there a name of the playlist I could type? Please and thank you.

ive been into impressionism this whole time i just didnt know people called it that

How would you describe impressionist music in one word?

Hey, on the topic of impressionism, what were impressionist influences on other genres of music?

Shout out kay Miss. Napaka husay na guro, kung makapag bigay ng activity akala mo armalite. Pero partida, hindi manlang magturo

does anyone know some good modern-day examples of impressionistic music?

Impressionist music is not atonal at all. 12 tone music is atonal. Impressionist music is simply more amorphous regarding tonal centers, and even then it is more a matter of individual phrases using modes other than major or minor, though predominantly major and minor modes still represent the main themes. This may have been a step towards atonality, but really that is more of a German movement, fairly distinct from the French school of thought. I love your input on technique, so sorry if this sounds like a criticism.

I like Debussy but I love Ravel...

although what you said is absolutely correct, but it disturbed me at 6:12 when you say "french academy"granted it is a french acdemy but the picture was taken at la villa medici in rome.

what song was played in the beginning?

Isn't Jean Sibelius a Romantic era composer though?

you're very beautiful thanks for the video I can now start my music report 😊

Ravel: "The generation of French composers, which I am part of, was strongly attracted by Grieg’s music. Next to Debussy there’s no other composer, whom I feel more related to, than Grieg." and "To this day [1926], I have not written a single work not influenced by Grieg." If you enjoy impressionism, then Grieg's piano music is worth exploring as it directly inspired impressionism though his name never comes up on the subject!

Watching this 15 mins before my test starts

what can u say about impressionism in music? I'd like to read ur opinions

I’m writing an essay about Impressionism. I’m presenting it tomorrow an there’s a lot left to do. I’m getting desperate. I guess there should be other students here, pls if there is. Can you give me any link to good sources about this. My teacher is really picky when it comes to good sources so plsss help me if you know anything. Especially if it’s about instruments and history cus that’s been really hard too find anything about. Thanks :) And this video was really helpful thanks so much :D

Next expresionizm please .

Analyze Gaspard de la Nuit sometime.

I know that Camille Saint-Saëns belongs to Romantic era, but for me he belongs to impressionism. I think his compositions are accurate with what Piano TV is describing...

Mapeh 10 Oct 12 2021 Philippines :)

I love your video, but as a native Spanish speaker, let me help you out: Albeniz is pronouned "Al-benny's" Like the restaurant "Denny's" De Falla is pronounced "De-fa-yeah" Both names have their emphasis on their second syllable. :)

Can you do a video about Liszt's history?

What about late Liszt?

I'm now here trying to find an answer for my module "What is the role of the composers in performing impressionistic music".

No Gabrielle Faure?

Impressionism and the Romantic Era as a whole is like the gateway drug into classical music for those who weren’t raised taking any sort of lessons or taught any instruments. Does it resemble something a Pixar movie may use? Oh yeah, it’s a banger 😂

The funny thing is that both Debussy and Ravel despised the term "impressionism" as applied to their music. Critics, in general, do not listen to what the actual artists have to say about their own work and end up coining these inaccurate and/or wrong terms, usually based on their limited understanding on the subject. It is the same with Minimalism and other so called "genres" within Music history.

Shout out Sa APEC MUNTINLUPA PASSION 10-9

Debussy & Ravel: let us introduce ourselves

Impressionist was an insult at its time and then later embraced as a label.

Wheres Delius? He was a Impressionist.

Fun fact: Debussy and Ravel both hated the term "Impressionism" to describe their music.

I see impressionism in modern artistic hip hop vocals.

Where's Lili Boulanger?

Hello

I didn't know Isaac Albeniz can be considered as "impressionist" musician.

Yoooo

Are there any female composers in this era?

The composers of the Romantic period went ALL IN on trying to evoke EMOTION in the listener, but (ironically...) a lot of the music from that era just sounds overblown, clichéd and one-dimensional to me. Even... dare I say... a little _boring..._ Whereas a lot of the music written by _the "impressionist era" composers_ moves me DEEPLY. ♥

cute

Now teach us how to get your beautiful curly hair