Blog #3

 Earl Sweatshirt- Riot!

Earl Sweatshirt's song "Riot!" is far from a quintessential impressionist piece, but after listening to more classical impressionists (Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel most notably), I realized that the scattering, melodic style that Debussy frequently employs was also very prevalent in the end song off of Earl Sweatshirt's album Some Rap Songs, released in November 2018. Notably, this is his most-streamed song off of this album, and one of the most-streamed songs in his entire discography. This speaks to how impressive and well-produced his sample of the song of the name by South African jazz artist (and close friend to his father) Hugh Masekela, from Masekela’s 1969 vinyl release Mace And Grenades / Riot is. Traditional impressionist pieces frequently are done on the piano or other classical instruments, but his use of the sample is done in a much more avant-garde fashion, with a rhythm that isn't easily discernable and a beat that is impossible to nail down throughout the song. Additionally, there is a special significance to the use of Masekela's work throughout this album. Because of his relationship with his father, and the fact that they both died within a few weeks of each other in January of 2018, the significance of his inclusion in not just this song, but several others on this album is very notable. There are large parts of this album that feel like an homage to his dad's passing, and the use of his good friends' song is just one more way in which he can honor him. Reading further on this album and the song reveals an especially significant meaning to the whole tenor of it. Earl Sweatshirt notes how he felt that making the ending song an homage to his dad, who Sweatshirt notes, was a very scattered, ADHD-minded individual himself, felt like the best way to end a bittersweet album for him overall.

Clair de lune L, 32- Claude Debussy, performed by Marvin Jones

Claude Debussy IS the quintessential figure of impressionism, but even the de facto leader of this musical movement despised the characterization, going so far as to call art and music critics who called him that an imbecile. His work has an enduring legacy to this day, with him grabbing 5.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify and being covered by many notable and talented musicians while helping to pioneer a whole new style of musical performance. 

Many of Debussy's pieces contained symbolism that was used to enhance his reputation as a symbolist composer with pieces such as “Reflets dans l'eau” (“Reflections on the water”), “Brouillards” (“Mists”), and many more. The Suite bergamasque, which consists of four movements, is one of the most famous piano suites of Debussy. The Bergamask was considered to be a clumsy rustic dance, which is said to have been derived from the natives of Bergamo in Italy. The inhabitants were reputed to be very awkward in their manners and the Bergamask dance is associated with clowns or buffoonery, which helps to explain the very scattered movement of the entire piece. The third movement of this four-movement bergamasque was Clair de lune or Moonlight. Moonlight was based on a poem written in 1869 by French poet Paul Verlaine, and is one of Debussy's most famous pieces due to its commercial usage in movies, TV shows, and advertisements. The song is written in D major and is written in 9/8 meters. The use of this unusual time signature is what gives this piece the feeling of a lack of cohesion, which serves it well because it makes it feel very melancholic and evocative of an alternative, slower world. Additionally, there is a lot of imagery, that while not explicitly stated, helps to drill the impressionist leanings of Debussy while maintaining a sense of detached observation.