Classical Music in Pictures Music in Pictures    

Lesson 30: La Mer - Dialogue between Wind and Waves

by Claude Debussy

Performer: US Air Force Band

Directions

Study the musical selection for one week.

Over the week:

• Each day, listen to the musical selection.
• Read the synopsis.
• Review the vocabulary terms.
• Read about the composer and practice reciting his or her name and the composition title.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

Claude Debussy's suite, 'La mer' (The Sea), contains three symphonic sketches that capture the unpredictable and turbulent nature of the sea. The third movement, 'Dialogue between Wind and Waves,' features the interplay between two forces of nature.

Vocabulary

Sea: The expanse of salt water that covers most of the earth's surface and surrounds its landmasses.
Wave: A ridge of water between two depressions in open water.
Wind: The perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current of air blowing from a particular direction.
Interplay: The way in which two or more things influence each other. For example, a stronger wind may cause a higher wave. A higher wave may block some of the wind.

Composer

1. Claude Debussy was born in 1862 near Paris, France. See his picture below.

2. Zoom in and find Debussy's country of birth on the map of Europe below. How many ocean and seas are shown on the map? Recite their names aloud. What color represents the water of the oceans and seas?

3. Debussy began playing violin at the age of six, learned piano at age eight, and later studied an additional six instruments including flute and trombone. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at age ten.
4. Debussy was an artistic rebel, experimenting with music in ways not taught at the academy.
5. Critics of his day dismissed some of his best-loved works of today, and he often struggled to stay afloat financially.
6. Debussy died of cancer at the age of 55 in 1918.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Describe the Music

Listen to the music, and close your eyes and let yourself imagine. What do you picture as you listen to the music?

• After listening to the music, describe and discuss what you heard.
• Does the music sound happy or mournful? Is it fast or slow? Does the music convey motion or stillness? Does the music change over time as the piece progresses?

Read the list of adjectives. Select those that describe the music or think up additional adjectives.

• Cheerful
• Mournful
• Soft
• Noisy
• Vivacious
• Soothing
• Eerie
• Threatening
• Surreal
• Whimsical
• Rhythmic
• Grand

Activity 2: Study the Painting, Ivan Aivazovsky's 'Rainbow'

As you listen to the music, find the following in the painting:

• Survivors
• Shipwreck
• Rainbow
• Rowboat
• Oars
• Waves

After you study the painting, narrate the scene shown in the painting aloud using your own words.

Describe how the painting relates to the music.

Activity 3: Read About the Painting, Ivan Aivazovsky's 'Rainbow'

Ivan Aivazovsky's 'Rainbow' shows a ship dashed upon the misty rocks. The survivors huddle in a rowboat and battle the roiling waves. The glimmer of a rainbow offers the hope of survival.

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the music?

1 / 3

Answer 1

The title is 'La Mer (The Sea) - Dialogue between Wind and Waves.'

1 / 3

Question 2

Who composed the music?

2 / 3

Answer 2

The composer is Claude Debussy.

2 / 3

Question 3

What is 'Dialogue between Wind and Waves' about?

3 / 3

Answer 3

'Dialogue between Wind and Waves' represents the effect that the wind and waves have on each other.

3 / 3

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the music? The title is 'La Mer (The Sea) - Dialogue between Wind and Waves.'
2. Who composed the music? The composer is Claude Debussy.
3. What is 'Dialogue between Wind and Waves' about? 'Dialogue between Wind and Waves' represents the effect that the wind and waves have on each other.

References

'Claude Debussy.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'La mer (Debussy).' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.