Summary Debussy Features examples

Impressionistic features 20th CE features
1 Timbre of muted strings Bars 6-10 Timbre of muted strings Bars 6-10
2 Timbral combination of flute Bars 64-69 Angular and use of extremes of Bars 64-69
and harp particularly a tessitura
favourite of French
impressionist composers
3 Cross rhythms created by Bar 5-8 Cross rhythms created by Bar 5-8
superimposition in Cor Anglais superimposition in Cor Anglais
4 Use of the tritone in in horns Bar 23 Harmonic modulations to remote Bars 59-64
symbolises a boat horn on the keys BmD#m
Seine
5 Added 6ths and 9ths in chords Bars 11-15 Strings divisi in 6 creates broad Bar 7-15
texture
6 -Use of whole tone -Bar 7 -Use of whole tone -Bar 7
-Use of pentatonic (whole tone -Use of pentatonic (whole
chord) tone chord)
-Bar 51 -Bar 51
7 Use of internal chromaticism Bar 1-4 (2nd Use of internal chromaticism Bar 1-4 (2nd
Clarinet) Clarinet)
8 Ambiguous tonality Bars 9-10 Loose ABA texture. Not clear like Throughout
previous periods of music piece
9 Lack of clear cadences instead Bar1-15 Importance of rhythm as an element Bar 43-50
continuing and dovetailed (Throughout in its own right Bar 46
phrases the piece)
10 Sparse texture, soft timbre i.e. Bar 71-74 Sparse texture, soft timbre i.e. solo Bar 71-74
solo violin, viola, cello violin, viola, cello