Musical Nationalism and Impressionism: Eras of Innovation

Musical Nationalism and Impressionism: Key Movements

Music coexisted with Romanticism and other movements. Two significant movements arose around 1850 and continued until the mid-twentieth century:

1. The Rise of Musical Nationalism (c. 1850-Mid-20th Century)

   Emerging around 1860, this musical movement saw composers from different countries express the need to incorporate their own folklore and traditions into music. It sought freedom from excessive foreign influence, particularly from German symphonic music and Italian opera.

   Defining Musical Nationalism

   The nationalist impulse in music emerged around 1850, within the Romantic period. It coincided with political movements originating in some European countries that sought to assert their historical identity and personality, allowing for greater equality among social classes. Nationalist music, particularly among the middle classes, utilized specific timbres, rhythms, and cadences belonging to the composer's native region, integrating them into cultivated musical works. Some composers infused their works with extramusical elements, such as architectural monuments or characteristic landscapes of their country.

   The Symphonic Poem Explained

   Symphonic Poem: An instrumental work, typically for symphony orchestra, consisting of a single movement. It is usually inspired by an extramusical aspect, such as a literary work, architectural design, painting, or a personal experience.

2. Musical Impressionism: From Canvas to Sound

   Pictorial Impressionism significantly influenced a new way of conceiving music. Impressionist painting, in stark contrast to the dictates of the Paris Academy of Fine Arts, broke with the idealization of Romanticism.

   Impressionism's Roots in Painting

   The concept of Impressionism originated in the world of painting. In 1872, Claude Monet painted a picture reflecting the feeling caused by the rising sun through the fog on the river. In 1874, he described this work at the first Impressionist exhibition, naming the painting Impression, Sunrise. Alongside Cézanne, Degas, and Renoir, Monet championed outdoor painting, moving away from studio art. These artists aimed to capture ambiance and atmosphere through the interplay of light and shadows. They drew inspiration from nature, representing it in a highly personal manner.

The Spanish Nationalist School of Music

Composers sought to recover their past and musical identity, aligning with the ideals of nationhood and the literary Generation of '98. Despite efforts, the attempt to create a distinct Spanish opera largely failed, and by the mid-twentieth century, symphonic orchestras were scarce. Foreign composers often utilized Spanish folklore, presenting an exotic and colorful image of the country. This external perspective prompted Spanish musicians to analyze and reclaim their own folklore and historical musical heritage, as advocated by the Catalan musicologist and composer Felipe Pedrell.

Key Composers of Spanish Nationalism

• Isaac Albéniz
• Enrique Granados
• Manuel de Falla
• Joaquín Turina