Definition for Impressionism
From Biology Forums Dictionary
Impressionism (19th century) in painting followed the realists’ search for spontaneity, harmonious colors, subjects from everyday life, and faithfulness to observed lighting and atmospheric effects by seeking to capture the psychological perception of reality in color and motion. The concentration is on the effects of natural light on objects and atmosphere. Impressionists emphasize the presence of color within shadows and the result of color and light making an “impression” on the retina. Impressionism in music is an anti-romantic style analogous to impressionism in painting. It freely challenges traditional tonality. The use of tone color in impressionist music has been described as “wedges of color.” Oriental influence is also present. Melodic development occurs in short motifs and harmony moves away from traditional chordal harmonies. A chord is considered strictly on the merits of its expressive capabilities, apart from any idea of tonal progression within a key. Gliding chords—that is, repetition of a chord up and down the scale—is a hallmark of impressionism in music.