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MAPEH (Music)
Quarter 1 – Module 1:
20th Century Music:
Impressionist Music
MAPEH (Music) – Grade 10
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1 – Module 1: 20th Century Music: Impressionist Music
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education

OIC-Schools Division Superintendent: Carleen S. Sedilla CESE
OIC-Assistant Schools Division Superintendent: Dr. Brian E. Ilan EdD

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Imelda P. Tabian

Editor: Myrna T. Parakikay

Reviewer: Myrna T. Parakikay

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Chief Education Supervisor, Curriculum Implementation Division

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Education Program Supervisor, LRMS

Myrna T. Parakikay
Education Program Supervisor, MAPEH

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 What I Need to Know
This module was written and designed to make learning easier especially as we are in
the “new normal” situation. As an educational tool, this module about the 20th Century
Music - Impressionist Music challenges you as a learner, to become creative,
resourceful and independent. The scope of the module provides a variety of activities
that will stimulate independent and self-guided learning experience. Lessons in this
module are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course to ensure effective
learning continuity, make the experience more meaningful, effective and relevant to life
situations.
This module is meant to give you a clearer understanding of the musical elements and
characteristics of Impressionistic Music. It tells about the life and works of its main
composers and how their music affects and brought into progress the music of the world
at large.

This module includes lessons and activities on:

❖ Elements and characteristics of Impressionistic Music
❖ The life, musical style, and works of the composers of the period.
❖ Different musical style used in impressionistic music.
❖ Listening and analyzing some of the examples of Impressionistic Music

After going through this module, you are expected to:

➢ Describe the distinctive musical styles and characteristic of Impressionistic music
through the elements of music
➢ Enumerate the different musical styles used by the composers of the period
➢ Understand the styles of composing of the composer of the period through their
works
➢ Appreciate impressionistic music

What I Know

Encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1.Which among the mentioned 20th century music style uses the whole- tone scale?
A. Impressionism B. Expressionism C. Neo-Classicism D. Primitivism

2. Who among the following composers is the primary exponent of the impressionist
movement and the main proponent for other impressionist composers?
A. Debussy B. Ravel C. Schoenberg D. Beethoven

3. Which among Debussy’s composition is most popularly used in movies or

commercials even up to this date?
A. Claire de Lune B. Bolero C. La Mer D. Starry Night

4. Which of the following is mainly the characteristic of Ravel’s music?

A. the use of the Whole – tone
B. the use of atonal style in the harmonic treatment
C. the use of the 12- tone scale
D. the use of the pentatonic scale

5. What type of scale was dominantly used in the Impressionistic era?

A. Pentatonic B. 12-tone scale C. Chromatic D. Whole-tone

6. Which of the following best describes the rhythm of impressionistic music?

A. Free flowing B. harsh and scary C. distorted D. fantasy like

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7. In what Western country did impressionist music started?
A. Italy B. Paris C. Austria D. Germany

8. What musical term is defined as the lack of harmony among musical notes?
A. Consonance B. Atonal C. Whole-tone scale D. Dissonance

9. Where is Debussy’s place of birth?

A. Italy B. France C. Paris D. Germany

10. Which of the following is a characteristic of Debussy’s music?

A. It has a free flowing rhythm C. It uses the 12-tone scale
B. It has formal notation D. It uses modes

11. Which of the following titles is a composition of Ravel for solo piano?
A. Pavane for Dead Princess C. Bolero
B. Claire de Lune D. Miroirs

12. At what age did Maurice Ravel entered the Paris Conservatory?

A. 15 B. 13 C. 14 D. 16

13. What instrumental ensemble made an influence in impressionistic music that

made composers incorporate it in their compositions?
A. Rondalla Ensemble C. Gamelan Ensemble
B. Symphony Orchestra D. Drum and Bugle Corps

14. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Ravel’s music?

A. It uses whole tone scale C. It has formal structure
B. It uses modes D. It has free flowing melody

15. Where is Ravel’s place of birth?

A. Italy B. France C. Paris D. Germany

Lesson
20th Century Music:
1 Impressionist Music
Impressionism is a French Movement that began in the late 19 th century to early 20th
century. It began in visual art and extended later in literature and music. In this lesson,
you will understand how the musical elements is woven into the music of the
impressionistic period. Here you will be able to analyze the difference and similarities of
the impressionistic music from the music that you hear today

What’s In
Sing this song that you have learned from your Grade 9 class. Tap the beat
while singing.

Answer the following questions.

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1. What is the tempo of the song?
2. What mood does the song draw out?
3. What is the common tone interval used?
4. What is the meter of the song?

Did you know that……..

Brahms' Lullaby (Cradle Song) is the children's lullabies with similar lyrics set
to Johannes Brahms' melody. Weigenlied is the original German title of this
song.
What’s New

What’s New

Banks of the Seine, Vétheuil,by Claude Monet

Reflection:
1. Looking at the picture, what mood does it convey? Why?
2. Give three adjectives to describe this picture.

What is It
❖ Impressionist Music is mostly defined by its tone color, atmosphere and
fluidity.
❖ Most compositions during the Impressionist era were often represented by
short, lyrical pieces.
❖ In Western classical music it is the period that is mainly during the late 19 th
and 20th centuries, whose music focuses on mood, emotions, arose by the
subject rather than a detailed tone picture.
Rhythm
Impressionistic music has free and flexible rhythm. It does not have a clear rhythm or
the rhythm is irregular.

Melody

The melody during this era varies from short to long sound and follows a free-flowing
lines. Most of the theme of the music was centered on nature, its beauty, and lightness.
It also uses the whole tone scale created by Claude Debussy.

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The picture below is the whole tone scale in Key of C, wherein the distance from one
note to another is one whole step thus creating a dreamy like or fantasy like sounds.

W W W W W W

Harmony
Impressionist music breaks the rules of Romantic and Classical harmony by choosing
parallel chords for color rather than function, adding dissonant notes to chords.
Dissonance certainly results from the grating combination of harsh, clashing tones.

This is the type of harmony used in impressionism

Fig. 1: Debussy’s chord for Guiraud

Timbre
Also known as tone color or tone quality, is completely unique in impressionistic music.
Impressionism in visual arts and in music follows the same characteristics that explains
the practice and performance of the artists of this style.

Composers of the period:

➢ Born as Achille - Claude Debussy on
August 22, 1862 in a poor family in
Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. Died on
March 25, 1918 of cancer.

➢ He is the creator of the Whole tone scale

➢ Named as the “Father of Impressionist

Music”

➢ He was fascinated by the Gamelan

Works: Ensemble and soon he incorporated the
elements of the gamelan into his music
Clair de lune (“Moonlight,”
in Suite bergamasque, 1890– Musical Style:
1905), (1894; - his music conveys mood, emotions and
has hazy effect
Prelude to the Afternoon of a - his composition focuses on mysterious
Faun), the opera Pelléas et nature. (La Mer and Claire de Lune)
Mélisande (1902), and - he uses free form rhythm
- he frequently uses parallel chords
La Mer (1905; “The Sea”).

Debussy’s composition “Claire de Lune was used in the movie “Twilight”, which stars
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. It was also used in Ocean’s 11 in 2011, and is
also used in the epic trailer of Godzilla, King of Monsters in 2018. It was also used as
background music in Richard Gomez’s Bench commercial.

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 ➢ Born Joseph - Maurice Ravel on March 7,
1875 in Ciboure, France.
➢ Just like Debussy, he also incorporates
Gamelan Sound in his composition.
➢ He is a very talented pianist that made him
enter to Paris Conservatory at the age of
fourteen.

Musical Style:
- He used modes, which are types of scales with
different moods.
- His themes are frequently modal instead
Works: of using the familiar major or minor scales
- His orchestral works have complex
❖ Bolero – his well- instrumentations, with dazzling color and
loved piece vivid images.
❖ Pavane for Dead - His music has a tonal center and uses formal
Princess – a structure
lyrical requiem
(Requiem - mass for
the dead)
❖ Miroirs (Reflections)
- a suite for solo
piano.

What’s More

Look at the two pictures below. Picture A is a representation of Debussy’s Music while
Picture B is symbolic of Ravel’s Music. Lists down the characteristics of each paintings
that you think is parallel to the musical styles used by the two composers.

Painting A Painting B

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 What I Have Learned

Impressionist music has a free and flexible rhythm and uses

whole tone scale. It focuses on mood, emotions, arose by the
subject rather than a detailed tone picture.

Ravel’s music has a floaty and vague feeling. His orchestral

works have lavished and complex instrumentations, full of
bursting colors and vivid images that earned him the title
Master Orchestrator.

Debussy’s music evokes magical worlds of exoticism and has

completely ignored traditional rules and created complex
yet free-flowing rhythms. Mood and atmosphere were much
more to him than intellectual musical structures.

What I Can Do
Analyze the picture. Fill up the chart and put a check if the given
characteristics were present or not.

Characteristics Present Not Present

Color Value
Hazy impression
Free flowing lines
Nature Centered
Conveys mood and emotions
Bold Colors
Exoticism

After doing the activity, how would you relate impressionism music with
impressionism in the arts? Answer in 5 sentences.
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 Assessment

Multiple Choice: Write your answer on blank provided.

____ 1. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of impressionistic music?
A. Free flowing C. Uses whole tone scale
B. People centered D. flexible rhythm

____ 2. Which of the following works is Ravel’s most famous composition?

A. Claire de lune B. Nocturne C. Bolero D. La Mer

____ 3. What type of scale is mostly used by Debussy?

A. Whole-tone scale B. 12-tone scale C. Major Scale D. Minor Scale

____ 4. What makes the texture of impressionistic music more unique?

A. It uses free flowing rhythm
B. It infuses Asian elements to traditional music
C. It uses homophonic texture
D. It uses more instrument but with the same melody

____ 5. Which of the following is Ravel’s composition that is meant as a mass for the
dead princess?
A. Pavane for the Dead Princess C. Bolero
B. Miroirs D. Claire de lune
____ 6. Which musical composition was used popularly as theme songs in movie trailers
and commercials?
A. Claire de Lune B. Bolero C. Pelléas et Mélisande D. La Mer

____ 7. Which of the following defines Ravel as a supreme perfectionist?

A. His use of unclear harmony C. His music conveys mood
B. His use of free-flowing rhythm D. His use of precise notation

____ 8. Who among the following composed La Mer?

A. Maurice Ravel C. Claude Debussy
B. Arnold Shoenberg D. Ludwig von Beethoven

____ 9. Which of the following is a musical characteristic of Debussy’s works?

A. Formal in style C. Free flowing rhythm
B. Use of modes D. Complex instrumentation

____ 10. Which characteristic of impressionistic music is defined as having a lack of

harmony in a composition?
A. Atonal B. Dissonance C. Cadences D. Consonance

____ 11. Which among the following titles is Ravel’s composition?

A. Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun C. Claire de Lune
B. Pavane to a Dead Princess D. Nocturnes

____ 12. Which of the following composition of Debussy proved to be his greatest
seafaring adventure during his childhood?
A. La Mer B. Claire de Lune C. Miroirs D. Bolero

____ 13. Which of the following is a musical composition that set parts for the repose of
the souls of the dead?
A. Sonata B. Prelude C. Aria D. Requiem

____ 14. Which of the following is NOT true about Ravel’s orchestral works?
A. Full of dazzling colors C. Boring and static
B. Has complex instrumentation D. Has vivid images

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____ 15. Which of the following instrumental ensemble was infused in the musical
compositions of Debussy?
A. Rondalla Ensemble C. Gamela Ensemble
B. Symphony Orchestra D. Drum and Bugle Corps

Additional Activity

Listening Activity:

Using your mobile phone, tablet, ipad or computer copy and paste the link provided
below. Listen to the following to the given composition of Debussy and Ravel. After
listening, describe the music of each composer based on the elements of music given in
the chart.

Musical works Listening #1 ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMzFvKuZusE )

Composer: ___________________________ Title: ________________________________________
Mood and tempo: ___________________________________________________________________
Rhythm: ____________________________________________________________________________
Melodic movement: _________________________________________________________________
Major Instrument/s Heard: ____________________________________

Musical works Listening #2 ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og4PkQGvC70 )

Composer: ___________________________ Title: ________________________________________
Mood and tempo: ___________________________________________________________________
Rhythm: ____________________________________________________________________________
Melodic movement: _________________________________________________________________
Major Instrument/s Heard: ____________________________________