Final answer:
Debussy's 'Jeux de vagues' is an Impressionist piece that reflects the influences of natural world sounds, while Ravel's 'Boléro' is characterized by rhythmic repetition and a gradual crescendo, both showing the evolution away from Classical music to the more expressive Romantic style.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student question relates to how Debussy and Ravel were influenced by new-to-them sounds and how that influence is reflected in their respective works, 'Jeux de vagues, from La mer' by Debussy and 'Boléro' by Ravel. Debussy's work embodies characteristics of Impressionism in music, with its fluid forms, atonal scales, and innovative tonal structures inspired by the natural world, as seen in the undulating movement of waves. On the other hand, Ravel's 'Boléro' is notable for its rhythmic repetition and gradual crescendo, which was a departure from traditional Western forms and possibly influenced by traditional music's repetitive structures and crescendos heard at exhibitions like the likes of world and traditional music.
Both composers were part of a movement away from the structured forms of Classical music towards more expressive and sometimes abstract forms. This was in line with the broader cultural shift towards Romanticism in the arts, which favored emotional expression over the more restrained and formal ideals of the Classical era. This movement was embodied in different ways across various art forms, including painting with artists like Delacroix and Francisco Goya who, much like Debussy and Ravel, used their medium to convey drama and emotion.