SUITE BERGAMASQUE Claude Debussy CLAUDE DEBUSSY THE START

SUITE BERGAMASQUE Claude Debussy

CLAUDE DEBUSSY – THE START q 19 and 20 Century th th Composer q Started Piano lessons at age 7 q Went to music school at age 11

INFLUENCE Russian Culture influenced Claude the most q Nadezhda Von Meck who was a Russian Millionaire q Hired Claude to teach her children piano q Toured Europe in the process influencing Debussy’s music

PRIX DE ROME q Competition of Comosers q Young age of 22, entered his composition, “Cantata L’Enfant Prodigue” q Won first Prize giving him a chance at more schooling.

JAVANESE-GAMELAN q Composition of many bells, gongs, Xylophones, and MUSICAL vocalist. ENSEMBLE q. This ensemble created a new sound that people either loved or hated. q. This style also earned Debussy his recognition. q. Created his big hit, four part composition “Suite Bergamasque”.

SUITE BERGAMASQUE q Composition of four different songs q Played separate as if four different songs q Wrote the song at age 28 in 1890 q Was completely finished in 1905 after revision q Claude wanted people to know he was a young composer so he kept the date as 1890.

PRELUDE 0: 00 Song starts off strong and bold The melody changes pitch up and down creating a steady rhythm. 1: 30 The song take a change in dynamics. The song is happy and light. 3: 00 The song has created its story now and it is starting to come to a close. 4: 00 There is a drastic pitch change and the song comes to a bold end.

MENUET q 4: 15 The song takes a turn into a more upbeat fun tone. q 4: 45 Rhythm is like a train track effect q 5: 45 Harmony flattens out into a fluid motion instead of being more choppy like the Prelude. q 7: 45 The music starts to become bold and loud right before it settles into an end.

CLAIR DE LUNE q. One of the reasons ‘Suite Bergamasque’ is famous. q. One of the most well known songs of Debussy. q 8: 20 The song starts off really slow and soothing q 9: 20 form and texture take over and the song starts to pick up a bit and flow into a chorus q 10: 20 the song changes tone and rhythm q 12: 50 the song starts to repeat and tries to linger as long as it can before it comes to an end.

q Similar to the Prelude q Brings you into the end of the song q 13: 48 The songs tone brightens up and picks up compared to Clair de Lune. q 15: 18 The song sound like vocalists bantering back and forth q 15: 48 The song is still loud and upbeat then slows down and comes to the end. PASSEPIED q The songs climax to the end

SUITE BERGAMASQUE ALL TOGETHER

CLAUDE DEBUSSY’S END q Diagnosed with Colon Cancer at the young age of 55 q During WWI which caused depression and gloom q Passed away unfortunately on March 25, 1918 q Left behind masterpieces for the world to enjoy q Left an impression on the world