Debussy - The Little Shepherd

I feel like throughout this piece, I am in anticipation of a PAC, but am almost always given half cadences instead. Phrases always seem to end on sol, ti, or re, but the way the piece flows and is relaxing to listen to counters the anticipation. The orchestra's role is to keep out of the picture for the most part. There are some notable bassoon solos, but the soloist is always in center stage.

The title probably influenced the pictures I had in my head while listening to the piece because I saw a child running and skipping through a field. 'Little' made me think of a child and 'shepherd' is usually something done by an adult, so it seemed like the child was playing in this adult's role. The dotted rhythm is what was most influential in creating the picture I had of the child's movement, but the pitches and how they were arranged seemed to form the image I had of the outdoor surroundings and climate.