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Eunsung Song
UWRT 1102-26
Instructor: Fran Voltz
9 December 2015
Program Music: Legacy and Culmination of Expression
Most listeners today associate music with phrases and terms such as free expression and
emotion. Of these consumers, not nearly as many give enough consideration to the notion that
the current understanding of music is hardly the product of a stable unilateral tradition of
thought. It seems as though in times past, music served an array of relatively defined purposes
based on its own characteristics and parameters: according to the web-based OnMusic
Appreciation instruction modules, monophonic vocal compositions were once reserved for
regular services and special occasions in the religious sphere (Medieval 3), and chamber
configurations often (implicitly) displayed the economic prowess or the nobility of certain
private individuals (Classical 6). In the generalized Western perspective, peoples attitude
towards music as it was with other forms of art shifted from time to time, effectively
counteracting the perceived excessive indulgences of the preceding trend or format.
The Roman Catholic Church during the 17th century consciously encouraged the
development of what is known as Baroque art in an attempt to quench the Reformation fueled by
renaissance influences Protestant, secular, or otherwise and the Churchs growing political
power (Baroque Art). Although one of the major objectives of the style was to strike a
powerful balance between reverence, faith, and grandeur to the benefit of the church
infrastructure, Baroque music, architecture, and other forms of art yielded products that were
sometimes deemed too complex or over-embellished. As a result, the Classical thought of order
and simplicity emerged.

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Yet, mans express pursuit for structure, rationality, ideals, perfection, and heightened
conventionalism in the Classical Era was eventually met with his own introspective criticism:
unattainability/impracticability, undue social conformity, and the formation of artificial limiters
to potentially constructive imagination and innovation. The call for a renewed sense of
individualism, which was more or less eclipsed since the end of Renaissance (and certain facets
of the Medieval Era), flourished as Romanticism (Romantic Movement). What is particularly
interesting about this period is that the macrocosmic attribute of changes made across the
preceding eras with the underlying human drive for novelty and (re)introduction appears to
have crumbled, and instead, manifested as variations across individual creators and/or
interpreters.
It is at approximately this historical interval 19th century extending to the early 20th
century (post-Romanticism) that I will select program-oriented musical works that serve to
exemplify an early synthesis of the contemporary creative spirit. Additionally, I intend to limit
myself to consider compositions for the solo piano, for two reasons. First, it would be too
ambitious for this document to include a discussion of programs associated with the variety in
timbre and special articulations produced by other instruments. The piano is arguably the best
model/substitute for the orchestral sound due to the manner of which it is operated. Second, by
selecting a particular branch of composition, each example stands on a relatively coherent
platform. Differences or contrasts found in the interpretive purposes or approaches accentuate the
Romantic theme of individuality as well as the visionary quality found in program music.
Ironically, program music can be seen as a logical rather than coincidental
representation of the spontaneous and imaginative spirit of the Romantic Era. As writers, artists,
and musicians sought to liberate and expand on their crafts, they must have thought to journey

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and converse across various realms of expression and articulation. In popularized practice that is
observable to this day, some of the familiar forms are found either incorporated into a foreign
medium (if applicable) or manipulated to reflect the content conceived and delivered through a
different discipline. From the Classical composers perspective, the idea of programs most likely
afforded a fresh base of inspiration, but just as likely posed new challenges in allocating voices
and specific melodic/harmonic sequences to reflect the imported independent narratives or
images. In spite of this, more and more compositions successfully alluded to extra-musical ideas
and mediums such as real or fictional stories, poems, and visual arts (Program music).
One of the more obvious instances of programs in music can be found in Charles Valentin
Alkans composition titled Le Vent. The title suggests a singular image of the wind. In an audio
sample of this piece, Vincenzo Maltempo executes lengthy chromatic progressions that imitate
the howling currents (Op. 15, No. 2). Intuitively, the force of the wind can be estimated by
the volume of the corresponding passages being played; the segment containing the climax (5:03
- 6:01) demonstrates the highest strength, while passages leading to the conclusion are subdued
in comparison. The section that begins at 2:35 and ends at 4:05 exhibits an accompaniment of
repeated notes that resemble the flickering of leaves. In terms of texture, the chromatic
progressions seem to most vividly portray the wind as having a particular direction, whereas
other kinds of note patterns may indicate a dispersed distribution of air currents. The speculation
is also somehow supported in the music score visually, chromatic patterns boldly run across the
bars as horizontal markings, creating a strong, flowing impression. Finally, the primary color of
the piece (B minor) adds to the imagery a harsh, cold character.
Unlike in the previous example, Maurice Ravels musical composition of Gaspard de la
Nuit - Ondine (1908) paints a story or a sequence of interrelated images rather than a single

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image. Inspired by Aloysius Bertrands posthumous, early 19th century poem, Ravel delivers an
encompassing atmosphere that pertains to mythical encounters, sensuality, and fatal temptation
(Eccles 3) while incorporating specific techniques that would represent tangible elements such as
the shimmering lake, the act of a man rejecting invitations/advances, and other movements in
relation to the watery scenery.
The story first unfolds as triads (with C sharp, E sharp/F, and G sharp as constituents) and
the A natural note are repeated in a rapid, yet undulated fashion. This pattern of motion emulates
a calm body of water, a sleeping lake, from which Ondine a beautiful governing entity
identified in the melody will glide into existence and attempt to gradually lure the man in
question to join her kingdom through marriage (Musicanth; No. 1). It is implied that the man
will face certain death, should he choose to accept Ondines proposition and enter the underwater
domain. Ravel aptly addresses the intricacies in developing a robust setting; small regular
changes made in the triad-and-note relationship offer varying colors in music that effectively
translate to the ever-changing nature of water (e.g. shifts in reflections and refractions of light
entering the lake).
Further into the piece, the section played from 2:22 until 3:20 (the performance, courtesy
of Jean-Yves Thibaudet) presents a conversation between the notes found in the high register
and those found in the lower register (No. 1). Formulating an alternative, slightly less
canonical interpretation of the passage, Croatian pianist Ivo Pogorelich with the help of his
instructor and spouse, Aliza Kezeradze attributes the low-toned, heavy voice to that of the king
of the lake (i.e. Ondines father). Considering this approach, the interplay between the two
musical voices reflects the declaration of Ondines love for a mortal man, followed by her
fathers expression of disapproval (POGORELICH). The voices then escalate and merge into a

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quarrel, the chaotic climax of which leaves Ondine frustrated and downcast. In the original
narrative, the man similarly rejects her invitation, revealing that he has already entered into an
intimate relationship with a mortal woman.
Characterized by the bare, unadorned display of the melody in the conclusive Trs lent
section, the water entity is found shedding her final tears. Then, uttering a burst of laughter
(shown as sudden rapid arpeggios or running of chords across the keys) she plunges back into
the depths of the lake, never to be seen again (Musicanth; No. 1 5:27 6:29). It is worth
noting that Ravel makes thoughtful distinctions between the actual impact of the dive and its
residual effects (i.e. ripples across the surface of the water) by manipulating the range of the
cascading notes, musical tempo, and dynamics. Rapide et brillant arpeggios with changes in
volume through the use of crescendo/decrescendo symbols capture the essence of the volatile
splash. The subsequent finish to the piece is carefully set with three parameters: Mouvement du
dbut (returning to the pace played at the very beginning), bien gal de sonorit
(equal/consistent output of sound), and Sans ralentir (without slowing down). These
parameters collectively serve to embody the restorative nature of water, returning the scenery to
its tranquil, glistening state. Ravels motion to return to the original state also touches on the
illusory aspect of the tale; the remaining party in the poem and perhaps the audience is left
wondering if any of the experience was real.
Throughout the course of history, as shown in the musical/artistic context, the concept of
change has been favored for any number of reasons, or (sometimes) none at all. It seems
paradoxically, human tendency to change has not changed for at least as long as recorded time.
Pacing beyond numerous gates and breakthroughs, we may have already (yet unknowingly)
experienced a pinnacle of sorts fostered in part by the introduction of program music. So, our

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current journey begs for answers to prompts such as: What would happen if innovation and
variations were to meet an end? Can music, writing, and other creative endeavors continue their
growth indefinitely? How would the seemingly relevant, parallel notions like free expression and
emotions be impacted? What does change or the lack of change truly represent in each of
our lives? Our identity? Our existence?

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Works Cited
Eccles, Alexander. "Gaspard De La Nuit: Horror and Elegance." Stanford University, 2004. Web.
16 Oct. 2015.
Baroque Art and Architecture | Art. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica.
Web. 1 Dec. 2015.
"Charles-Valentin Alkan - Op. 15 No. 2, Trois Morceaux Dans Le Genre Pathtique, Le Vent."
YouTube. YouTube, 31 July 2015. Web. 8 Dec. 2015.
Classical Period (1750-1825). OnMusic Appreciation. Connect For Education Inc., 2011.
Web. 6 Dec. 2015.
Gaspard De La Nuit: Trois Pomes Pour Piano Daprs Aloysius Bertrand (1908).
Musicanth, 30 Apr. 2011. Web. 16 Oct. 2015.
"IVO POGORELICH." Arthaus Musik. 23 Sept. 2015. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.
Medieval Period (1150-1450). OnMusic Appreciation. Connect For Education Inc., 2011.
Web. 6 Dec. 2015.
Program Music. OnMusic Dictionary. Connect For Education Inc., 14 Feb. 2015. Web.
6 Dec. 2015.
"Ravel - Gaspard De La Nuit, No. 1, Ondine Sheet Music Audio." YouTube. YouTube, 4 Sept.
2010. Web. 16 Oct. 2015.
"Romantic Movement." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web.
1 Dec. 2015.