Instrumental Music
20 Century
Table of contents
Ravel
Jeux d’eau
Detail
evoke the sparkling, cascading sounds of fountains, streams, and rippling water through the piano itself. The opening features rapid, shimmering arpeggios and cascading figures that give a sense of continuous fluid motion, as though water is literally flowing and splashing. The harmonies are not strictly functional in the Classical sense; instead, they use chords, added tones, and pedal effects to create an impressionistic colour that blurs traditional progressions. Rhythm in this piece feels fluid and flowing rather than tightly metered, with phrases that overlap and overlap again, mimicking the unpredictable movement of water. The overall texture is virtuosic and layered — you hear multiple lines weaving together, like light on moving water — and the result is a sound-world that directly translates the imagery of water into music without needing words. This piece is one of Ravel’s earliest and most effective demonstrations of impressionistic sound and timbre innovation on the piano, and it’s a very clear example of how 20th‑century writing prioritised colour and atmosphere, not just melody and traditional harmony.
Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No.2 – Lever du jour
Detail
This piece gradually evokes the feeling of dawn through orchestral layering. Strings hold sustained, parallel chords while woodwinds introduce soft melodic fragments, creating a floating, impressionistic texture. Listen for gradual crescendos, timbral contrasts between sections, and subtle harmonic shifts using modal scales. Rhythms are flexible, often flowing without strict metric emphasis. The piece is an example of Ravel’s attention to colour, atmosphere, and orchestral timbre, where the combination of instruments paints the scene more than traditional harmonic progression.
Ballade No.1 (opening)
Detail
A long orchestral piece built on a single repeated melody and rhythmic ostinato. Listen for how the melody is passed between different instruments while the snare drum maintains a constant rhythm. Dynamics gradually rise throughout, and the texture thickens as new timbres are added. The piece demonstrates Ravel’s use of orchestration, layering, and gradual build as the main expressive device rather than melody or harmonic development.
Stravinsky
Pulcinella – Serenata
Detail
A lighter, neoclassical work where melodies are clear and often derived from 18th-century sources. Listen for transparent textures, rhythmic energy, and occasional modern dissonances. The interplay of homophony and imitation gives clarity and structure, highlighting Stravinsky’s adaptation of older forms with subtle 20th-century harmonic touches.
Symphony of Psalms (opening)
Detail
Sparse orchestration blends vocal lines with strings and winds, creating a layered texture. Harmony is often bitonal or modal, and rhythms are subtle, without traditional regular pulse. Listen for how voices and instruments interact independently yet harmonically align, emphasizing colour, texture, and harmonic tension over melody.
Prokofiev
Symphony No.1 “Classical” (1st movement)
Detail
This movement is concise and clear, inspired by Haydn. Listen for transparent textures, short melodic motifs, and balanced orchestration, where woodwinds, brass, and strings alternate melodic and harmonic roles. Harmony is tonal but occasionally chromatic, adding modern colour. Rhythms are lively and regular, and the overall character is light, energetic, and precise, blending Classical form with 20th-century harmonic touches.
Romeo and Juliet – Montagues and Capulets
Detail
A dramatic orchestral excerpt defined by heavy, repeated rhythms in low strings and brass contrasted with faster woodwind motifs. Harmony is mostly tonal, punctuated with dissonances, and textures shift between dense and sparse. Listen for strong rhythmic drive, motif repetition, dynamic contrast, and orchestral colour, which convey tension and character.
Piano Sonata No.7 (opening)
Detail
The piano presents angular, dissonant motifs with repeated rhythmic patterns and sharp dynamic contrasts. Texture alternates between sparse melodic lines and dense chordal sections. Tonality is stretched with chromatic harmonies, and rhythm is driving and aggressive. This opening demonstrates Prokofiev’s modernist style, motivic clarity, and percussive piano writing.