Classical Music in Pictures Music in Pictures    

Lesson 32: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun

by Claude Debussy

Performer: Columbia University Orchestra

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

Inspired by Stéphane Mallarmé's poem, 'The Afternoon of a Faun,' Debussy's symphonic poem, 'Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun,' describes the afternoon dreams of a faun, a mythical half-human, half-goat figure.

Vocabulary

Prelude: Short musical pieces that often introduce more complex pieces, although Chopin's preludes stand alone.
Faun: One of a class of rural gods, represented as a man with a goat's horns, ears, legs, and tail.
Panpipes: A musical instrument made from a row of short pipes of varying length fixed together and played by blowing across the top.
Nymph: A mythological spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhabiting rivers, woods, or other locations.
Mythical: Occurring in or characteristic of myths or folk tales, imaginary.

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.

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, Pál Szinyei Merse's 'Faun and Nymph'

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

• Faun
• Nymph
• Panpipes
• Foliage
• Vegetation
• Water
• Flowers
• Hooves

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, Pál Szinyei Merse's 'Faun and Nymph'

Pál Szinyei Merse's 'Faun and Nymph' shows a faun, a mythical half-human, half-goat figure, and a nymph, a mythological spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhabiting rivers, woods, or other locations. The faun plays panpipes, while the nymph in red looks on.

Activity 4: Act Out the Painting

Experiment with your own 'panpipe.'

• Get one or more empty bottles with a narrow mouth at the top.
• Blow across the top to play a note.
• Experiment with adding or removing water from the bottle.
• Does the note get higher or lower when you add water?
• Does the note get higher or lower when you remove water?

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the music?

1 / 3

Answer 1

The title is 'Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.'

1 / 3

Question 2

Who composed the music?

2 / 3

Answer 2

The composer is Claude Debussy.

2 / 3

Question 3

What inspired 'Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun?'

3 / 3

Answer 3

Stéphane Mallarmé's poem 'The Afternoon of a Faun.' inspired the musical composition 'Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.'

3 / 3

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the music? The title is 'Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.'
2. Who composed the music? The composer is Claude Debussy.
3. What inspired 'Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun?' Stéphane Mallarmé's poem 'The Afternoon of a Faun.' inspired the musical composition 'Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.'

References

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

'Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'L'après-midi d'un faune (poem).' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.