scolaire

10:45 Aug 9, 2012 

"...EXAMEN précédant le concours de Rome".

From your reference :
1883 - Cantate Le Gladiateur, 1er Paul Vidal - 2e Claude Debussy et Charles-Olivier-René Bibard, dit Charles-René
1884 - Cantate L’Enfant Prodigue, 1er Claude Debussy - 2e Charles-Olivier-René Bibard, dit Charles-René et Léo Delibes"

Kévin, it may be, it may not. Not sure it matters here.

I reckon that the Asker has more than enough information now to think about meaning in the overall context to decide. ;-)


@ Ormiston : Daryo has the right idea with his description of a strict application of rules and so on. That is the essence of something which is "scolaire". You have a couple of potential solution here.

10:42 Aug 9, 2012 

I certainly do not have the idea that the work is "uninspired and sort of 'churned out' etc.". That, in my view, is certainly not the meaning! He was a bloody good student!

10:41 Aug 9, 2012 

I see your point. Although the use of "assez" and the general phrasing of this sentence still makes me hesitant to believe student is the intended meaning.

I am now unsure of everything!

10:12 Aug 9, 2012 

When you read the last sentence of the extract, " Comme Salut Printemps, l’Invocation était destinée à l'examen précédant le concours de Rome", this confirms that Salut Printemps was in fact used in the context of an examination. "Student work" seems to fit the bill perfectly. A work of any type can be "scolaire" and although "elementary" may be part of it, I believe this word is restrictive in context. It may be considered elementary but I believe that is not the whole picture. A work could be extremely complex and still be "scolaire". Okay, so "Salut Printemps" is not quite as complex as Bach's Magnificat. Does that mean it is elementary? And no, I am not saying that Bach's Magnificat is "scolaire"!

09:53 Aug 9, 2012 

That is kind of why I'm unsure as to whether or not B D is right. "scolaire" here seems like such an uncomplicated adjective that I doubt it's referring to the a whole kind of work he could have done while still in the conservatoire.

B D might be right, but if he is the meaning would be closer to something "textbook" than to the work of Debussy as a student, as that is way too specific. I'm not entirely sure "textbook" should be used in a musical context though.

09:37 Aug 9, 2012 

that the work referred to is uninspired and sort of 'churned out' etc. as well described by several people below. If you say it is a student work it could sound like he merely composed it while a student,. with no judgment implied. No?

09:17 Aug 9, 2012 

"Studenty" means student-like. "Student" means pertaining to that of a student, thus a student work. "Scolaire" as is studious almost! Daryo comments somewhere that it is a question of applying the rules to produce a particular type of work and I think that is a helpful description of "scolaire".

08:58 Aug 9, 2012 

textbook / student are both tempting and sound sufficiently uninspired/unoriginal/prosaic (although would textbook work for music and wouldn't 'student' sound a little odd + 'partition' unless you said 'studenty' ?

19:42 Aug 8, 2012 

immature - juvenile - which rather goes by the rules

14:03 Aug 8, 2012 

"Textbook" is good!

13:44 Aug 8, 2012 

rudimentary, basic, textbook, unsophisticated, pedestrian