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.