Impressionist

Description

Impressionist music is characterized by its focus on atmosphere and mood, often using innovative harmonic structures, orchestration, and rhythm to evoke imagery and emotion. It typically features fluid melodies, rich textures, and a preference for subtlety over explicit form.

History

Impressionist music emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily in France. It was influenced by the Impressionist art movement, which sought to capture the essence of a subject rather than its detailed depiction. Composers like Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel were pioneers of this genre, using new scales, such as the whole tone scale, and exploring non-traditional chord progressions to create a sense of ambiguity and fluidity.