Dreams & Fantasy

Georgina Ratcliffe
Arabesque No. 1, C. Debussy (1862 - 1918)
The name Claude Debussy is synonymous with the Impressionist movement in
music, and was responsible for much of the expansion of harmonic vocabulary that
the movement was known for. His work is suffused with tensionless harmonies,
subtle textures, instrumental colour, and, like other impressionist composers, his
work aims to capture an emotion rather than to paint a clear image. I felt that many
of his works fit very well with the floaty, vague feeling of being in a dream.
Gymnopedies No.1, E. Satie (1866 -1925)
Erik Satie was an eccentric composer who greatly influenced 20th century musical
thought. He was also known for his musical humorism- and the gymnopedies suite
is a prime example of this. The suite is named for the ancient Greek gymnopedia
festival, an occasion of raucous passion and frenzied dancing in honour of several
deities. However, the gymnopedies pieces themselves are slow and dignified-
completely different from the boisterous nature of the celebration.

Debussy once said ‘Music is the expression of the movement of the waters, the play Gymnopedies no. 1 is a very simple piece. Its melody is a simple flowing line that
of curves described by changing breezes.’ I think that this quote perfectly describes rises and ebbs like ocean waves, with long, sustained rhythms. It has two distinct
his Arabesque, an evocative piano piece that mirrors the celebration of nature seen sections, the first of which alternates mostly between two chords: G major 7th and
in art nouveau. The pieces are much less free-form than some of his later works, but D major 7th. Its gentle and repetitive theme creates a sleepy, meditative atmosphere,
still contain hints of the composer’s developing style. evoking summer afternoons spent daydreaming under the clouds. The piece must be
played with careful articulation and a sense of continuity.
The first arabesque features lines that meander across modes and keys to create a
vague, ethereal mood. To me, its cascading melodic motifs recall shifting, trickling
water, and the light that plays upon its surface. Arabesques of previous eras
typically contained “rapidly changing series of harmonies that decorate, without
furthering, a point in the progress of a composition.” The fluctuating chords and
harmonies throughout this piece embody this technique.

Weaving A Spell, Robert Ramskill (1950 - Present)

Robert Ramskill is a composer and arranger who has developed a compositional
style that combines jazz influences with classical forms. He has worked extensively
with youth and other young musicians, creating pieces with rhythmic excitement
and contemporary appeal. Weaving A Spell is one of these pieces, part of the Trinity
piano exam board’s repertoire.

Weaving a spell is a bright, waltz-like piece that features two distinct sections and a
coda. The first section is in the key of A major, and introduces conjunct melodic
runs that characterize the piece. The second section wanders through keys, creating
a whimsical sound. The piece sounds magical and adventurous.