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Claude Debussy

Claude Debussy. Janel Herde. Biography. Biography. Born August 22, 1862 in St. Germain en Laye , France. Oldest of 5 children. Family owned china shop. Closed and the family relocated to Clichy, France. Claude’s grandmother takes them in. First piano lesson – 7 years old.

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Claude Debussy

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  1. Claude Debussy Janel Herde

  2. Biography

  3. Biography • Born August 22, 1862 in St. Germain en Laye, France. • Oldest of 5 children. • Family owned china shop. • Closed and the family relocated to Clichy, France. • Claude’s grandmother takes them in.

  4. First piano lesson – 7 years old. • Teacher – Jean Cerutti (Jean) • 1871 AntionetteMaute as piano teacher. • Paris Conservatory School of Fine Arts – Age 10 • 1876 – First appearance at a public concert. • Accompanied Leontine Mendes (Singer) • 1879 – Leans the attractions of a life of luxury – stays with Marguerite Wilson-Pelouze. • Decides to become a composer.

  5. 1880 – Hired by Nadezhda Von Meck • Teaches her children to play piano • 1884 – Enters “The Prodigal Son” • Won the Prix de Rome

  6. Influences • Not influenced by Russian composer • Richard Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde. • Javanese Gamelan • First saw at Paris World Exposition 1889 • Brass percussion, strings, bamboo flutes

  7. Opera – Pelleas et Melisande • Based on play by Marice Maeterlinck • Only finished opera • Controversy around first performance • Music was either hated or loved • His music was impressionist • Rejected traditional rules • Pieces were dissonant • Lacked tonal quality

  8. Later Years • Changes in style • Not readily accepted • Other composers weakened popularity • Composed music until death • Diagnosed – rectal cancer 1915 • Unsuccessful surgery to cure cancer • Passed away March 25, 1918 • 3 unfinished pieces for “Six Pieces for Various Instruments”

  9. Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun)

  10. History • Written in 1892, completed in October 1894 • Symphonic poem for orchestra • First performance • Paris – December 1894 • Concerts of the Society Nationale de Musique • Conductor – GustaveDoret

  11. Inspired by poem “L”après-midi d’un faune” by StephaneMallarme • Also basis for ballet “Afternoon of a Faun” • Choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky • One of best known compositions • Performed again the next day • Society’s doors were opened to the public for the first time. • First performance – conductor and Debussy made changes up until the start

  12. Orchestration • 3 flutes • 2 oboes • 2 clarinets • 4 horns • 2 harps • 2 violins • Violas • Chellos • Contrabasses

  13. One of Debussy’s most famous works • Turning point in music • Flutes and soft must added new depth

  14. Listening Guide • Section A • 0:00 Part A – flute solo, harps glissando, horns extend theme • 0:45 Part A – horns and harp repeat. Horns background, harp is more prominent • 1:06 Part A – Flute reappears, oboes take melody at times • 1:31 Part B – Horns return, flute and oboe resume these, crescendos, theme repeated. Harps glissando • 2:46 Part C – Flutes continue theme, clarinet extends the theme, flutes at the end of theme

  15. Section B • 3:16 Part D – Oboe leads new theme. Strings – plucking methods – which accompany clarinet. Violins take over the melody • 3:44 Part D – French horns return. Clarinet plays melody. Similar to first theme • 4:01 Part E – oboe returns with melody. Quicker and shorter notes. Strings added – screscendo take melody • 4:19 Part E – Dynamics soften – violins play togther. Chang tempo and rhythm. Crescendo with climax and diminishes • 4:48 Part E – Soften with horns flutes and oboes. Crescendos and decrescendos. Twinkling sound.

  16. Section B • 5;50 Part A Flute has main melody, accompaniment of harp. Obo plast staccato notes • 6:23 Part A Horns accmpany with crisp melody. Theme reiterates Theme A • 6:55 Part A Flutes play melody, violini pianissimo. Flute, cello take melody. Harp in backgorund. Oboe Brings melody. Flute and harp fade to a close.

  17. Clair de Lune

  18. History • Third movement in Suite begamasque • Famous piano suite, with four movements • Prelude, Menuet, Clair de Lune, Passepied • Composed in 1890 • When it came time to publish, Debussy hated the style. • Major modification • Revised version published in 1905

  19. Inspiration • Poem “Clair de Lune” by Paul Verlaine • All four movements written from works of Paul Verlaine. • Written for piano solo • First performance • Debussy performed it himself firs time ever performed.

  20. Listening Guide • Section A • 0:00 Opens in D flat. Pianissimo. Warm sound. Chords and scales – both hands. Expressive, andante • 1:00 Dissonant low notes. More chords than scales. Repeated with minor changes. • 1:39 Dissonance resolved with arpeggio.

  21. Section B • 1:49 More movement. Arpeggios. Pianissimo. Crescendos and decrescendos throughout piece. Melody – right hand. • 2:25 Key changes, melody move up an octave. • 2:35 Melody back down in lower octaves

  22. Section A’ • 3:04 Melody from beginning restated • 3:38 Coda, arpeggios from second section. Contour same as theme A • 4:19 Arpeggios brought together. End slowly with diminuendo.

  23. Bibliography • Claude Debussy. 2007. June 2011 <http://www.debussy.fr/cdfr/bio/bio5_03-09.php>. • Dumesnil, Maurice. "Claude-Achille, Young Musician." Claude Debussy, Master of Dreams. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1979. 181. • Mandel, Marc. Claude Debussy “Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un faune”. n.d. June 2011 <http://www.bso.org/images/program_notes/debussy_prelude_faun.pdf>. • Nichols, Roger. "The Life of Debussy." New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998. • Notable Biographies. n.d. June 2011 <http://www.notablebiographies.com/De-Du/Debussy-Claude.html>. • Vallas, Leon. "Claude Debussy - His Life and Works." Lightning Source Inc., 2007.

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