Impressionism was first used in its application to art, describing a
movement of Parisian painters that emerged during the latter half of the 19th century; French art critic Jules Castagnary, in describing Claude Monets Impression: Sunrise, characterized the movement They are impressionists in the sense that they render not the landscape, but the sensations produced by the landscape (Herbert). Palmer expands on this description, illustrating the main concern of the Impressionists was not rendering reality, but the sensations evoked, a generalized impression (1973, p. 1-2).
Its usage in music was first observed in 1887, as a critique upon
Claude Debussys Printemps by members of Acadmie des Beaux- Arts. They described a strong feeling of musical colour, however a lacking in accuracy of line and form and that [Debussy], should beware this vague impressionism (Byrnside, 1980, p. 522-523). In the following decade Debussys compositions such as the String Quartet, and Prlude a L'aprs-midi d'un faune among others would continue to attract attention; according to Byrnside, something in the nature of Debussys music caused the label Impressionism to begin to appear in musical discussion.
The technical features that define much of the impressionistic sound
exhibit a departure from that of its Late-Romantic predecessors. Emphasis on large-scale forms as the Symphony, thematic development and structure was replaced, with an interest in individual, smaller forms. Use of unconventional scales and modes, such as the whole-tone, and an interest in oriental flavored pentatonics and non-western sonorities; an increase in chromaticism and new harmonic combinations, often leaving an ambiguous or non-existent tonality were prevalent. Parallel octaves, fifths, and extended non-functional chords of the 9th, 11th, 13th were used frequently, a focus on unprepared and unresolved dissonances of the second, fourth and seventh were explored. Gasser indicates the large prominence in creative exploration of timbre during this period, a large focus given on the texture or colour an orchestra produces, through irregular usage and uncommon instrumentation; in works for the solo piano such as Debussys Preludes, and Ravels Miroirs, extremes of the register and its unique timbre are examined.
Those that followed Debussy under the label, Impressionist consist
of composers such as Erik Satie, Maurice Ravel, Manuel de Falla, Isaac Albeniz, and Alexander Scriabin, among others. Palmer illustrates the differing interpretations and contributions to the Lewis Hastie z5112786
genre, composers modifying their works and Debussyian
harmony as according to their own strengths and personalities. (1973, p. 24)
Palmer in his Impressionism in Music, although providing concise
information about the history of the term and the features included in the music, is constrained to the bias of his thesis: that Debussy and subsequent composers of the era were influenced most heavily by Impressionism in art. Whilst mentioning them, he fails to recognize the symbolist, exoticist, and even nationalistic traits existent within the music, therefore providing an incomplete definition. In his critique of Christopher Palmers book Impressionism in music, Arthur Wenck outlines the analogy between impressionism as art and Impressionistic Music rests on false premises. (1974, p. 54). Gasser, in his web description, briefly addresses these issues, however due to the concise and elementary introduction necessitated by the website medium, provides mostly technical features to introduce the style. Gasser, similar to Palmer, provides an incomplete definition, yet provides succinct information without proposing an apparent bias.
References:
Byrnside, Ronald L, 1980. Musical Impressionism: The Early History
of the Term. The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 66 No. 4, 522-537.
Gasser, Nolan. 1800. Classical Archives. Available at:
http://www.classicalarchives.com/period/8.html. [Accessed 15 March 2017].
Herbert, James D, "Impressionism" Encyclopedia of Aesthetics.
Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press, Available at: http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/opr/t234/e0285 [Accessed 15 March 2017].
Palmer, Christopher, 1973. Impressionism in Music. 1st ed. London:
The Hutchinson Publishing Group Ltd.
Wenck, Arthur B, 1974. Impressionism in Music by Christopher
Palmer. Notes, Music Library Association, Vol. 31 No.1, 53-55. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/895928 [Accessed 15 March 2017].
A History of Russian Music - Being An Account Of The Rise And Progress Of The Russian School Of Composers, With A Survey Of Their Lives And A Description Of Their Works