Claude debussys preludes are 24 pieces for solo piano, divided into two books of 12 preludes. Sometimes, too, a groundbreaking masterwork has to wait until well after its composers death to be appreciated. The francoprussian war forced their family to move in with debussys aunt clementine, who arranged his first piano lesson with the italian musician jean cerutti. If you know the precise information of these, please let me know the information. For the arrangements of a given work, one of arrangements is indicated. Claude achille debussy bewitching in music, bastard in love. Debussy occupies an important position in musical history in the transition from romanticism to modernism at a time when impressionism and symbolism were emerging in france. The definition of reverie is a state of being pleasantly lost in ones thoughts. One of the most revered composers of the twentieth century, claude debussy. His mature compositions, distinctive and appealing, combined modernism and sensuality so successfully that their sheer beauty often obscures their technical innovation.
Yet here it did so uniquely, since debussys style from this point continued to press ahead into new regions. Claude debussy was a child prodigy who became one of the most important and influential french composers of all time. Debussy was 28 years old, and like most composermusicians, he needed money just to survive. He is sometimes seen as the first impressionist composer, although he vigorously. Nov 04, 2015 reveriethe seeds of debussys greatness.
This book reminds us just how astonishing the radicalism of this composers creations really is. The introductory pages discuss symbolist poetry, french impressionist painters and debussy s musical style. Claude debussy biography life, family, children, wife. Claude debussy born achilleclaude debussy was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Debussy for free and with almost a years training, debussy gained acceptance into the paris conservatoire 31.
Sometimes the deepest revolutions are the quietest. He is sometimes seen as the first impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. Many of debussy s bestknown pieces are assembled in this convenient, affordable collection. Aug 22, 20 debussy was born on august 22, 1862, in saintgermainenlaye, a northwest suburb of paris. These works are distinct from debussys images pour orchestre. Claudeachille debussy 22 august 1862 25 march 1918 was a french composer. He was the rebel of the class, or so his peers thought he was when he was training. Nov 19, 2016 chopin nocturne full length stefan askenase 1954 1954 duration. Claude debussy a music appreciation lesson for kids. The easiest debussy piano pieces and the most difficult. Sinfonia of londonjohn wilson chandos the selection of familiar and lessso works by turn of the 20thcentury french composers are played with subtlety and colour. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
At first, commentators tended to consider debussy as being influenced by impressionism, a genre associated with art, but more recently, the. L numbers are also given from lesures original 1977 catalogue. From this point, debussy s quality of education is unquestioned but the conservatoire environments strict methodology would spur his artistic growth while feeding debussy s distain toward the conservative approach to harmony. Debussy was an influential composer of the late 19 early 20th centuries, creating works of sheer beauty that obscured their technical innovation. In this new biography, roger nichols considers the. A descriptive analysis of the preludes book 1 of claude debussy. And whether or not one searches beneath the sensory impressions of, say, reflections in the water the first of the images to find an underlying meaning to. Debussy was born on august 22, 1862, in saintgermainenlaye, a northwest suburb of paris. Along with maurice ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures associated with impressionist music, though he himself disliked the term when applied to his compositions. The music of debussy is given detailed, yet not too technical explanations.
Saintgermainenlaye near paris, 22 august 1862 died aged 55. The introductory pages discuss symbolist poetry, french impressionist painters and debussys musical style. Claude debussy 18621918 is the subject of this fairly brief, but very engaging and wellillustrated biography. A descriptive analysis of the preludes book 1 of claude. He wanted to create, he said later, music whose form was so free it would sound improvised. The most important early example of the prelude being exemplified in the forty eight preludes and fugues of books i and ii of the well tempered clavier of bach, where the prelude served to establish the tonal center of the fugue that followed it. I provide the original scanned version and the filtered, because the filter does some changes smoothening, sharpening borders and some portions of the scan get lost sometimes when they are too small e.
His piano works include two books of preludes and two of etudes. Debussys music was different from the typical music of his day. Debussy contemporary is a crossword puzzle clue that we have spotted 15 times. Paris, 25 march 1918 there is a woman at each crossroad of debussys life. Claude debussy has 547 books on goodreads with 1086 ratings. Reverie was originally written for piano solo but is here transcribed for mallet ensemble. These works are distinct from debussy s images pour orchestre. Reverie paperback june 27, 20 by debussy claude 18621918 author 2. Claude debussy in 1908 this is a complete list of compositions by claude debussy initially categorized by genre, and sorted within each genre by cd citation needed number according to the 2001 revised catalogue by musicologist francois lesure, 1 which is generally in chronological order of composition date. Claude achille debussy bewitching in music, bastard in. Paul roberts claude debussy 20th century composers 20th century composers phaidon press inc. Debussy may have contributed the last important evolution to the prelude. An inscrutable man, born in a workingclass family and yet aristocratic in his tastes and values.
He dared to be different and preferred to do things his own way. One of the easiest pieces in this collection is the girl with the flaxen hair, around a. In life, debussy was an elusive personality, feline and withdrawn. Original mastery like this always changes musical history. Apr 23, 2008 claude debussy 18621918 is the subject of this fairly brief, but very engaging and wellillustrated biography. The course included music history and theory studies with louisalbert. From age ten on he studied in the paris conservatory time.
From this point, debussys quality of education is unquestioned but the conservatoire environments strict methodology would spur his artistic growth while feeding debussys distain toward the conservative approach to harmony. After traveling in europe and russia, debussy settled down in paris in 1887 and devoted himself to composing for the rest of his life. Claude debussy, french composer whose works were a seminal force in the music. They were published in two booksseries, each consisting of three pieces. University and the author of a number of books on music including musorgsky. Discover librarianselected research resources on claude debussy from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. Images book i published in 1905 and 1907 respectively, the two sets of images for solo piano are often considered the first examples of debussy. The quiet, reflective passages of this beautifully simple work wander about very much as if in a dream.
John adams on debussy, the first modernist the new york times. Reverie for piano solo by claude debussy sheet music 1935 claude debussy on. He created fresh, new tonal perspectives without abandoning tonality itself. Images 1905, childrens corner suite 1908, and two books of preludes 191012, all for piano solo. Claude achille debussy bewitching in music, bastard in love born. Claude debussy, in full achilleclaude debussy, born august 22, 1862, saintgermainenlaye, francedied march 25, 1918, paris, french composer whose works were a seminal force in the music of the 20th century.
The title refers to a folk song that was the conventional accompaniment of scenes of the lovesick pierrot in the french pantomime, and indeed the many pierrotlike associations in debussys later music, notably in the orchestral work images 1912 and. They were published in two books series, each consisting of three pieces. Debussy identified with the symbolist movement which was a movement parallel to the impressionist movement, except among writers, who used words to evoke atmo. Fortunately this was not the case when the first complete performance of debussys nocturnes was given in the concerts lamoureux series in paris on 27 october 1901. One hundred years ago this past march 25, achilleclaude debussy died in paris. List of books and articles about claude debussy online. Images usually pronounced in french is a suite of six compositions for solo piano by claude debussy. The francoprussian war forced their family to move in with debussys aunt clementine, who arranged his first. The first book was composed between 1901 and 1905, and the second book was composed in 1907. He favoured techniques that werent taught traditionally.
He was the son of a china shop owner and the eldest of five children. Inspired by a pastoral poem of mallarme, it is one of debussys most sensuous and evocative orchestral works, lending itself perfectly to ballet. This new concept is seen in relation to debussys preludes in pook i and an analysis of the main tonics in each of these works is essential to the understanding of this concept. Claude debussy biography wikipedia achille claude debussy 22 august 1862 25 march 1918 was a french composer. Debussys teenage and adult love life was so packed with incident that we must skim over his childhood, which, according to dietschy was fraught with instability, lack of money, rebellion, hunger, fear, delusion, shame and defeat. Debussy became more productive after he no longer had to worry about how he was going to earn money. Claude debussy 1862 1918 claude debussy was born to a peasant family in 1862. Esther park, piano september 22 2016 sprague recital hall, yale school of music. Reverie for piano solo by claude debussy sheet music 1935. Debussys volatile and domineering mother victorine nee manoury, was.
He developed a highly original system of harmony and musical structure that expressed in many respects the ideals to which the impressionist and symbolist painters and writers of. However to add insult to injury his publisher, fromont, did not immediately pick it up. Why does claude debussys music sound so distinct from. The most important early example of the prelude being exemplified in the forty eight preludes and fugues of books i and ii of the well tempered clavier of bach, where the prelude served to. The purpose of this thesis is to discuss and give a descriptive analysis of twelve of the twentyfour preludes written by claude debussy. This paper also includes a brief history of preludes as well as possible influences upon debussy and his compositions. Many people would place the first piece of the first book, reflets dans leau reflections on the water among the composers most beautiful works, although debussy himself came to dislike it. He developed a highly original system of harmony and musical structure that expressed in many respects the ideals to which the impressionist and symbolist painters and writers of his time aspired. Debussy favorite piano works by claude debussy, paperback. He is sometimes seen as the first impressionist composer, although he.
He was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His father, a marine, hoped debussy would become a sailor. The piano music of claude debussy internet archive. Claude debussy, french composer whose works were a seminal force in the music of the 20th century. Many people would place the first piece of the first book, reflets dans leau reflections on the water among the composers most beautiful. The first book of preludes is slightly easier than the second, since the second collection features debussy s more mature writing style. Home browse music and performing arts music history of music modern era in music 1900 claude debussy. Lorsque au soleil couchant les rivieres sont roses. Certainly women of all ages seemed fascinated by him, and they attached themselves to him like ivy to a wall. However, the english newly revised edition of this book pub. Debussy was an influential composer of the late 19 early 20th centuries, creating works of sheer beauty. During these years he wrote some of his most lasting works.
593 80 656 947 1206 270 334 1428 1035 819 295 252 501 671 1215 319 538 844 354 528 74 420 1002 233 1112 1135 1064 627 1407 314 88 213 564 396 698 313 1373 989 1260 70