The Music of Claude Debussy - 726 Words

When one thinks of impressionistic composers, it is only natural for Claude Debussy to be part of the subject. However, it is rare that impressionism and classical form are mentioned within the same breath. For that reason, it is necessary to remind oneself that the free-flowing music of the contemporary only exists by standing on the shoulders of the rigidly methodical music that came before it. Claude Debussy’s First Violin Sonata exemplifies this beautifully. Though the harmonic language is that of parallelisms and unstable key centers, motivically, the piece is balanced around the same Sonata Principal that governed Debussy’s forefathers, going back to Beethoven and Haydn. Claude Debussy’s First Violin Sonata was completed in 1917, in the year before Debussy’s passing. These three fiery movements represent some of the more aggressive music that Debussy has written, rather than the more mellow Preludes he is commonly known for. The harmonic vocabulary of Debussy would quickly make one realize that instead of gleaming the Sonata Principal out of the relationship between I and V, Debussy would do that with the relationship between sonorities that are unstable and even less stable. The piece is in Sonata form, with a complete Exposition, Development, and modified Recapitulation. However, the key areas don’t reflect that the way the listener might expect. Being that the vast majority of this piece is in G, it is musical material other than key areas that one must use in orderShow MoreRelatedClaude Debussy Essay examples1707 Words   |  7 PagesClaude Debussy Claude Debussy was one of the greatest composers of impressionistic music and considered by many one of the greatest composers of all time. He had a genius mind and portrayed that through his music. He was a man of deep thoughts and showed great emotion through his music. â€Å"Although Debussy rarely appeared in public, only to perform, and left behind no pupils, it is clear that Debussy has many imitators (Debussyistes, as they were known), and his death was widely mourned throughoutRead MoreClaude Debussy s `` Claire De Lune ``1569 Words   |  7 PagesClaude Debussy was born in France on August 22, 1862 during a decade in which Roger Nichols’s claims was one of â€Å"the low points of French musical life† (4). Debussy clashed with the musical norms of his time due to his fascination with writing music for how it sounds and feels. Lesure writes, â€Å"Ever since his years at the Conservatoire, Debussy had felt that he had more to learn from artists than from care er-obsessed musicians† (5). Debussy composed from the ideas around him and this is heard in hisRead More The Influence of The Impressionist Era Essay1015 Words   |  5 PagesImpressionism, one of the later eras in classical music composition. An era where emotions are expressed vividly while still following musical structure, where music caused much political controversy, and where France became known for its musical talent. In this essay you will read of how impressionism set a lasting mark in musical and national histories, and how it influenced modern music as we know it. The Impressionist Era all started with Claude Debussy, being tired of the formed classical structureRead MoreRenowned French Composer, Claude Debussy543 Words   |  2 Pages Claude Debussy was one of the renowned French composers of the late 1800’s. He used a compositional device to dilute the sense of directed motion found in traditional progressions. Although it took while for the listening public and critics to warm up to this bold and new experiment in harmonic freedom, he was soon a distinguished music composer (Claude Debussy). Debussy’s life, style, and influences all play a role in this famous composers history. Born in France on August 22, 1862, Claude DebussyRead MoreThe As A Form Of Influence On European Art988 Words   |  4 Pagesnon-Western elements in Western music, exoticism seeks to evoke a group perceived as different, often by â€Å"othering† said group. Ralph P. Locke, former professor of musicology at Eastman School of Music, views pure exoticism as a â€Å"form of exoticism with the purpose of representing an exotic subject as different from what is considered acceptable or appropriate.† Transcultural composing focuses on a hybrid of Western and non-Western styles, and is intended to pay a tribute to the music. There is no clear-cutRead MoreReview Of Claude Debussy s The Piano 1965 Words   |  8 PagesAchille-Claude Debussy, commonly known as Claude Debussy, is one of the world’s most famous Classical composers. His extreme talent at the piano is undeniable, and his life story is fascinating. Debussy was able to grow as an artist throughout his lifetim e and continue this recognition long past his death. By creating a new and beautiful sound with the piano, Debussy was able to become one of the greatest composers of all time within the classical period that has lead to all different types of peopleRead MoreClaude Debussy: Life and Works Essay1145 Words   |  5 PagesClaude Debussy, who is one of the most important French composers that represent the early twentieth century, he composed the prelude to â€Å"The Afternoon of a Faun†. He wrote this Prelude based on an inspiration of a poem that was written by Stephane Mallarme, who was a prominent French writer. There are some historical contexts and stylistic contexts that can be seen and discussed from this. And, these factors made this piece the best-known orchestral work of Debussy. Debussy was born in 1862 inRead MoreDifferent Periods Of Music Have Different Characteristics1188 Words   |  5 PagesDifferent periods of music have different characteristics. For impressionist era, it was between romantic period and the 20th century. There were some similarities within these two periods, like the contrasts of dynamics and pitch in the former period, while the melody is fragmented in the latter period. One of the famous composers, Claude Debussy, liked to compose music through harmony and exotic scale. An example of his pieces was Danse sacree et profane composed in 1904. It consists of two partsRead More 20th Century Essay827 Words   |  4 Pages Music written since 1900 is called twentieth century music. There have been more types and styles of music written in the twentieth century then ever before. In the twentieth century, the only limit is the composers imagination. This great variety of musical styles reflected the diversity of life during the early twent ieth century. More people were free to choose where to live, how to earn a living, and how to spend their time. The car, airplane, telephone, phonograph, movies, and radio all madeRead More Musical Modernism with Claude Debussy, Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg1894 Words   |  8 PagesMusical modernism can be seen as the time where music emerges its liberty from Romantic era style -that started in the late nineteen century to end of the Second World War- and gains new ideas and freedom. With the political turmoil and chaos that took over the European countries, -that lured countries into the First World War- composers and artists started to find, create more and new ways to express themselves. They eagerly began to discover the art of Eastern countries with the hope of finding