When we say nontraditional scales we refer to scales other than the major and minor scales used in baroque, classical and romantic music. It is the second piece in a set of twelve preludes published. But for this piece, to make sense, weve got to meet a new scale that debussy employs here. Art music in the twentieth century encompasses a wide range of expression, forms, and media. Im looking very specifically at the in depth functionality of the music through a variety of analytic methods.
Riemanns tonnetz transcribed in a quartal harmonic system released by the author under the terms of the gnu general public licence. The choice of compound triple meter for this movement shows the. French composer claude debussy, 18621918 by paris nadar. French impressionism and the music of debussy and ravel is analyzed. Licensed to youtube by umg on behalf of decca music group ltd. Claude debussy born august 22, 1862, saintgermainenlaye, france. It provides another interesting perspective by actually looking at the music while also thinking of the imagery inspired by each section. Analysis debussy voiles claude debussy elements of. Im currently in the early stages of posting a series of articles through my music blog on the process of analysis of the debussy piece arabesque no. Despite the research i have done regarding the title, the results i have found are still only speculation. An analysis and discussion of the performance of five debussy preludes. It is the second piece in a set of twelve preludes. My analysis of canope debussy preludes for piano, book.
This is due to debussys use of the whole tone scale which permeates the entire piece with the exception of a. Restricted to wholetone and pentatonic scales, debussys second piano prelude, voiles, often serves merely to exemplify both his early modernist musical language and his musical impressionism. Heres a musical counterpart of this painting about ships and sails by monet. The effect of a program of music education on the tonal and rhythmic. Debussy dfa suite a suite of programs implementing a fast approach to the debye function analysis dfa of powder diff. Im thinking of voiles from the preludes, bk 1 of claude debussy.
Unlike some notable collections of preludes from prior times, such as chopins op. With such puzzling questions in mind, i began my doctoral program of musical. As you listen to the piece, it may help to also reference the piano score if you have experience reading music. The sonata for flute, viola, and harp, written in 1915, is an excellent example of claude debussys later style. In some casessuch as voilesa single scale provides the pitch material for an entire musical section. A pupil at the paris conservatory for 12 years beginning at the age of 11, debussy was a little backward in the rudiments that were taught. Debussy wrote to a friend in 1916 quote, you do me great honor by calling me a pupil of claude monet.
Debussys contribution to the genre was a characteristically impressionist one. But rather than taking such wholly understandable dissatisfaction as grounds for dismissal, it is more fruitful to consider whether the analytical categories. Used pentatonic and whole tone scales in his works did not follow typical harmonic progressions was very interested in color and timbre conclusion passepied is the fourth movement of suite bergamasque a passepied is a french court. Parting the veils of debussy s voiles page 47 doesnt feel as it should and by some sense of the poetic penumbra that still. On both an harmonic and melodic level, debussy made use of a variety of scales such as the wholetone, octatonic and pentatonic see, for example, the use of wholetone scales in. What is the best music software for harmonic progression. For a more in depth analysis of the harmonic and formulaic structure of the piece, click here.
He also began a program of composition teaching, where each student would pay what. Harmonic analysis of ravels daphnis and chloe suite no. Prelude suite bergemasque, 1890 1905 playing debussys. Some examples are from music in theory and practice by benward and saker.
An analysis of debussys sonata for flute, viola, and harp. Prelude suite bergemasque, 1890 1905 playing debussy. Voiles sails, from the first book of preludes for pianocan be said to exist without harmonic resolution and, therefore, without traditional tonality. A suite of programs implementing a fast approach to the debye function analysis dfa of powder diffraction data from. Other sources say that debussy was about to dedicate his string quartet to chausson but changed his mind, presumably because of chaussons personal reservations. The twentiethcentury musical language of claude debussy. A suite of programs implementing a fast approach to the debye function analysis dfa of powder diffraction data from nanocrystalline andor nonordered materials. In the first place, it attempts to oppose static and dynamic harmonic entities, relying. The chromatic aspect of debussys harmonic progressions also adds to the tonal fluidity of the piece and provides magical moments such as the slip from a d majorbased chord in bar 62 into dflat major in the following bar.
A contribution by example to recent debates about the promises and pitfalls of performative or drastic analysis to use the term carolyn abbate adopted from vladimir jankelevitch, the article ultimately adumbrates, against the background of writings by dukas and laloy, a new sense of debussys pianistic engagement with the pressing. On both an harmonic and melodic level, debussy made use of a variety of scales such as the wholetone, octatonic and pentatonic see, for example, the use of wholetone scales in voiles from the first book of preludes. As seen in figure l, while maintaining the same right hand melody, debussy adds not just one, but two melodic lines under. A bergamasque is a 16thcentury italian dance, which in 1890s france would evoke an archaic form of music roberts, p. Please add your thoughts in the comments at the bottom. Debussys early phase 18881890 consisted of small conventional style pieces, but a ravel performance in 1898 may have influenced his change to a new style. He not only infused each work with the harmonic language and compositional techniques of the period, but he also made the listener an important partner in the sharing of his most intimate thoughts and feelings. Melodic line, rhythmic regularity, and the use of standard harmonic progressions are all shattered. Canope preludes, book ii, 19 playing debussys piano. The tonal hues in claude debussy s etude pour les quartes a short analysis by mehmet okonsar according to c. Debussy, pentatonicism, and the tonal tradition jeremy dayo. In this prelude we find examples of harmonic procedures commonly used in claude debussys music like.
My personal journey through the 24 debussy preludes. Voiles, from debussys first book of preludes, certainly displays some of debussys compositional affinities. Tonality in the first book of debussy s preludes jennifier carol stern durban 1978 submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of music performance, in the department of music, university of natal. Beginning his magisterial tome on the movement, impressionism, art historian meyer schapiro writes. Claude debussy 27 free piano sheet to download debussy premiere serie, l. Analysis debussy voiles frederic chopin entertainment general. Sibelius has a couple of plugins of limited utility for this sort of thing. Harmonically, debussys music incorporates both modality and tonality earlier french composers such as faure had used modal aspects in their works and he is reported by maurice emmanuel to have said around 188990 that music is neither major nor minor, something evident in the sarabande from pour le piano. Apr 07, 2018 sibelius has a couple of plugins of limited utility for this sort of thing. It is the second piece in a set of twelve preludes published in 1910.
A different approach to analysis of claude debussys music. I would argue the tonality of this piece as being primarily based in c major. My analysis of canope debussy preludes for piano, book ii. Nontraditional scales extended harmony traditional chords used in nontraditional context harmonic color tonal ambiguity. Apr 28, 2010 voiles, for solo piano, is the second prelude from his premier livre. Id add that the other current answers seem to be assuming that this is a student project for the sake of being able to. The tonal hues in claude debussy s etude pour les quartes. In voiles, debussy uses a slightly different approach to layering his melodies.
Analysis debussy voiles frederic chopin entertainment. Module 5 analysis of piano repertoire lessons 1 and 2 debussy preludes the student must look for the book the piano works of claude debsusy, by e. The first performance was given on october 15 of that year in paris. Their relationship to melody and harmony in the preludes of debussy. In some casessuch as voilesa single scale provides the pitch material. The purpose of this thesis is to discuss the elements of. Analysis debussy voiles claude debussy elements of music. I found this piece incredibly interesting to listen to due to the apparent lack for the most part of a tonal centre. Claude debussy, now known for his experimental and influential compositions, was breaking free of traditional methods even at a young age. The score calls for two flutes and piccolo, two oboes and english horn. The reason i ask is that this would be be much more etherial at double tempo really lightening up on the fastest notes. In the original program booklet from 190001 debussy cited the entire pieces affinity.
Voiles for not being as he elsewhere describes lisle joyeuse a satisfying subject for detailed harmonic analysis p. But debussy just did this once in a short piece and i think that we can conclude that the whole tone scale, by itself, is very limiting. Harmonic innovations in historical and musical context by ford fourqurean a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements of the csu honors program for honors in the degree of bachelor of music in music performance college of the arts columbus state university thesis advisor cylx. This practice, while often radical, nevertheless also. An analysis and discussion of the performance of five debussy.
Harmonic tonality 4 chapter ii scales, modes and chords. Debussy reverie, practicing routines, blocking, harmonic analysis youtube piano instruction part 1. Impressionism has become a vaguer term as the works of. Its a piece called sails, voiles, sails by debussy. Debussy, pentatonicism, and the tonal tradition jeremy dayoconnell this article presents a historical and analytical assessment of one of the important components of debussys musical style. Scale networks and debussy dmitri tymoczko it is frequently observed that over the course of the nineteenth century the chromatic scale gradually supplanted the diatonic. Aural reception as a tool of analysis, andrea malvano. Dissonance after wagner, voiles sails, from the first book of preludes for pianocan be said to exist without harmonic resolution and, therefore, without traditional tonality. Other debussian devices include the regarding of the seventh chord e. Jan 09, 2010 voiles, number 2 from book i of debussys preludes. Voiles, captures the sensation of fluttering sails in the setting sun. In his later works, debussy took greater chances, implementing more nonresolving dissonances selfproclaimed floating chords and fragmented forms.
Voiles is a composition by claude debussy for solo piano from 1909. In their case it was little more than a matter of combining the harmonic elements so. The title of the piece may be translated to english as either veils or sails. Claude debussys preludes are 24 pieces for solo piano, divided into two books of 12 preludes each. A stylistic analysis of the piano works of debussy and ravel thesis presented to the graduate council of the north texas state teachers college in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of music by elizabeth rose jameson, b. Edexcel a level syllabus analysis claude debussy 18621918.
Preludes and an indepth analysis of brouillards and voiles are included. The purpose of this thesis is to discuss the elements of this later style and represent them graphically. The excerpt in figure l is the main melody of voiles as it opens the piece and constantly reappears throughout the piece as a repetitive motif. Inspired by the performances of the american dancer loie fuller, whose scarf dances were. Debussy, pentatonicism, and the tonal tradition jeremy day. Sep 29, 2006 debussys suite bergamasque is a collection of four pieces. Ive not played this piece, but it is it possible to play the thirds with two hands one for top line and other for bottom. Debussys suite bergamasque is a collection of four pieces. The melody comes from whole tones though in that middle section he uses the pentatonic scale as well, the harmonies come from the same scale and he creates a kind of modal cadence at the end. Voiles, for solo piano, is the second prelude from his premier livre. Particularly important in the realm of painting, where artists focused more on sensations, perceptions, and light than on the direct representation of objects. Claudio arrau considered it to be one of debussys greatest preludes and said its miraculous that he created, in so few notes, this kind of depth.
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