Concert Setup

Theme Dreams & fantasy

Necessary Grand piano, microphone for programme notes, smoke machine

Equipment

Programme & If soft, shimmery, perhaps slightly dim lighting is possible that would be
Accompanying ideal. Lighting could be brighter and less shimmery between pieces when
Lighting introducing and talking about the piece. Probably a colour palette of golden
yellows, soft pinks, purples, and blues.

Programme Notes x3 (>0:30 Fade to lighter, golden white

each?) colour. Not so bright as to hurt eyes
in contrast to dimmer lighting. Kind
of like candlelight maybe?

1st Arabesque - C. Debussy Can you do purples, blues and

(~4:30) pinks, in a soft way?

Weaving A Spell - Robert Something a bit brighter, less

Ramskill (~2:00) shimmery, maybe pinks and
yellows, more sparkly and bright.

Gymnopedies No. 1 - E. Satie Soft pink, gold, warm colours but

(~3:30) soft and shimmery again.
 Programme Notes (Spoken)
Introduction
Hi! My name is Georgina Ratcliffe, and today I will be playing you a programme of music
themed around dreams and fantasy.

Arabesque No. 1
The first piece I will be playing you is Claude Debussy’s first Arabesque. Debussy once said
‘Music is the expression of the movement of the waters, the play of curves described by
changing breezes.’ I think that this quote perfectly describes his Arabesque, an evocative piano
piece that mirrors the celebration of nature seen in art nouveau. To me, its cascading melodic
motifs recall shifting, trickling water, and the light that plays upon its surface, creating a
peaceful, dreamy atmosphere.

Weaving A Spell
My next piece, Weaving A Spell by Robert Ramskill, is bright and waltz-like. Ramskill combines
jazz influences with classical forms to create a whimsical, magical sound reminiscent of a
fantasy adventure.

Gymnopedies No. 1
My last piece is by Erik Satie, the first piece of his Gymnopedies suite. Satie was known for his
musical humorism and the gymnopedies suite is a prime example of this; although it is named
after an ancient Greek festival of passion and dancing, the pieces themselves are sleepy and
meditative, evoking summer afternoons spent daydreaming under the clouds rather than
raucous celebration.
 Programme Notes
Arabesque No. 1, C. Debussy (1862 - 1918)
The name Claude Debussy is synonymous with the Impressionist movement in music, and was
responsible for much of the expansion of harmonic vocabulary that the movement was known
for. His work is suffused with tensionless harmonies, subtle textures, instrumental colour, and,
like other impressionist composers, his work aims to capture an emotion rather than to paint a
clear image. I felt that many of his works fit very well with the floaty, vague feeling of being in a
dream.

Debussy once said ‘Music is the expression of the movement of the waters, the play of curves
described by changing breezes.’ I think that this quote perfectly describes his Arabesque, an
evocative piano piece that mirrors the celebration of nature seen in art nouveau. The pieces are
much less free-form than some of his later works, but still contain hints of the composer’s
developing style.

The first arabesque features lines that meander across modes and keys to create a vague,
ethereal mood. To me, its cascading melodic motifs recall shifting, trickling water, and the light
that plays upon its surface. Arabesques of previous eras typically contained “rapidly changing
series of harmonies that decorate, without furthering, a point in the progress of a
composition.” The fluctuating chords and harmonies throughout this piece embody this
technique.

Weaving A Spell, Robert Ramskill (1950 - Present)

Robert Ramskill is a composer and arranger who has developed a compositional style that
combines jazz influences with classical forms. He has worked extensively with youth and other
young musicians, creating pieces with rhythmic excitement and contemporary appeal. Weaving
A Spell is one of these pieces, part of the Trinity piano exam board’s repertoire.

Weaving a spell is a bright, waltz-like piece that features two distinct sections and a coda. The
first section is in the key of A major, and introduces conjunct melodic runs that characterize the
piece. The second section wanders through keys, creating a whimsical sound. The piece sounds
magical and adventurous.
Gymnopedies No.1, E. Satie (1866 -1925)
Erik Satie was an eccentric composer who greatly influenced 20th century musical thought. He
was also known for his musical humorism- and the gymnopedies suite is a prime example of
this. The suite is named for the ancient Greek gymnopedia festival, an occasion of raucous
passion and frenzied dancing in honour of several deities. However, the gymnopedies pieces
themselves are slow and dignified- completely different from the boisterous nature of the
celebration.

Gymnopedies no. 1 is a very simple piece. Its melody is a simple flowing line that rises and ebbs
like ocean waves, with long, sustained rhythms. It has two distinct sections, the first of which
alternates mostly between two chords: G major 7th and D major 7th. Its gentle and repetitive
theme creates a sleepy, meditative atmosphere, evoking summer afternoons spent
daydreaming under the clouds. The piece must be played with careful articulation and a sense
of continuity.