Chapter 49 - Listening Guide Quiz 41: Debussy: Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun"
Which of the following instruments opens the B section with an animated melody, heard in the following excerpt?
clarinet
Which instrument plays accompaniment in this excerpt from Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun"?
harp
Here is the opening chromatic melody in the flute: (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 0:16) And here is the clarinet's B section animated melody: (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 0:21) Which best describes the music in this excerpt? (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 0:21)
animated clarinet melody
Match the descriptive words or phrases with the different elements of music as found in Debussy's Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun."
expression- evocative and sensual performing forces- strings, woodwinds, French horns, and antique cymbals texture- mostly homophonic
The following excerpt from Debussy's Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun" has a strong sense of pulse. T/F
false
Here is the opening chromatic melody in the flute: (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 0:16) Here is the clarinet's animated melody from the beginning of the B section: (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 0:21) And here is the lyrical woodwind and strings theme from the end of the B section: (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 1:14) Which best describes the music near the end of the piece, heard in this excerpt? (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 0:25)
it features the opening flute melody
Listen to the following music excerpts and drag them to the chart below.
lyrical melody 1:14 (Blue): 3rd chromatic melody 0:16 (Red): 1st animated melody 0:21 (Green): 2nd
Here is the opening chromatic melody in the flute: (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 0:16) And here is the clarinet's B section animated melody: (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 0:21) Which best describes the music heard in this excerpt? (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 0:17)
opening flute melody
Which performing ensemble plays Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun"?
orchestra
What instrument plays the opening of Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun", heard in this excerpt?
solo flute
Here is the opening chromatic melody in the flute: (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 0:16) And here is the clarinet's B section animated melody: (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 0:21) Which best describes the music in this excerpt? (Debussy, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, 1:14)
this is a new, lyrical melody played by woodwinds and then strings
Put the excerpts in the order in which the appear in Debussy's Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun." BE VERY CAREFUL to click only on the white triangle to play the excerpt; clicking anywhere else in the card will select it as an answer.
1. chromatic melody 0:16 2. animated melody 0:21 3. lyrical melody 1:14
Drag and drop the appropriate words to describe Debussy's Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun."
Inspired by a Symbolist poem by Stéphane Mallarmé, Debussy's symphonic poem depicts the sensual yearnings of a faun, a mythological creature who is half man and half goat. The opening chromatic melody initiates the languorous musical environment, rich in woodwind timbres and free-flowing rhythms without a strong sense of pulse.