CLAUDE DEBUSSY’S “Clair De Lune” & “Arabesques I &11” William Empey

Claude Debussy -Born in Saint-Germain-en-layem France on August 22, 1862. - Showed early on his significant interest and excellence with the piano Achille-Claude Debussy was born in Saint-Germain-en-layem France on August 22, 1862. Debussy’s childhood was filled with extreme hardships, both emotional and material. Claude Debussy was born to a poor family living in a poverty-stricken suburb in Paris, France. Debussy showed early on his significant interest and excellence with the piano, and began taking lessons at the age of 7 despite financial elements. With the support of composers Madame Mauté de Fleurville and Frédéric Chopin, Claude was enrolled in the Paris Conservatory in 1873 at the young age of ten. While studying piano and compositions, his instructors and peers acknowledged his unique talent but often found his approach to musical innovation unusual. While living in Paris, Claude reluctantly found support from a wealthy Russian women who encouraged him to play the piano with her and her children. While touring Europe and visiting wealthy European’s homes with this family, Debussy fell in love with a singer named Blanche Vasnier in Paris. Vasnier inspired many of Debussy’s early works. The unique sensitivity of Debussy’s early style can be accredited to both the positive and negative experiences and influences throughout his life. While enrolled at the Paris Conservatory Debussy won the “Grand Prix de Rome” with his owned composed piece. -Enrolled in the Paris Conservatory in 1873 at the young age of ten - Had a unique sensitivity in his early early style

-Remarried to Emma Bardac. -Received the Grand Prix De Rome, then was granted a three-year stay at the Villa Medici in Rome, Italy -Had an 8 year long affair at the age of 18 with a married woman named Blanche Casnier. -Debussy’s first wife Rosalie Texier attempted suicide but failed- Divorced -Remarried to Emma Bardac. -Had their first daughter in 1905, Claude-Emma, but their marriage soon failed. -Died on March 25th, 1918 in Paris, France from rectal cancer. After receiving the Grand Prix De Rome, Debussy was granted a three-year stay at the Villa Medici in Rome, Italy where he would continue to pursue his work. Debussy, after finding the conditions at the palace to be not to his liking, returned to Paris. At this time Debussy enjoyed a lavish lifestyle from his success. Debussy had a chaotic personal life characterized by lengthy but unsuccessful love affairs, a broken marriage and finally settling down with an already married woman.The women in his life proved to be a great influence for many of his compositions. Debussy had an 8 year long affair at the age of 18 with a married woman named Blanche Casnier. After a later nine-year relationship, Debussy’s first wife Rosalie Texier attempted suicide but failed. At this same time he was engaged to another woman for a short time. After divorcing Rosalie, he remarried to Emma Bardac and had their first daughter in 1905, Claude-Emma, but their marriage soon failed. After a dramatic life filled with tragedy, traveling, and broken love Debussy died on March 25th, 1918 in Paris France from rectal cancer.

INFLUENCES & IMPRESSIONS -Influenced by his family and his relationships, the music of Russian and Asia, and the ideas of writers and poets -Gathered musical and cultural experiences in Russia during his travels -Tested the boundaries of impressionism, -Avoided his creating concrete images in his music -Considered to be the main influence in the transition from the late romantic style to the style of the twentieth century. Debussy’s music was mainly influenced by his family and his relationships. In addition, other influences included the music of Russian and Asia, and the ideas of writers and poets that he enjoyed such as Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Verlaine, and Charles-Pierre Baudelaire. Debussy gathered musical and cultural experiences in Russia during his travels that gave impressions for his compositions. Claude Debussy tested the boundaries of impressionism, creating his music with a feeling of vagueness rather than sharply defined articulation normally associated. Debussy also avoided his creating concrete images in his music by no clear harmonic progressions, melodies, and rhythms to evoke mood. Often, his music was written in untraditional scales such as the pentatonic scale and the whole tone scale - another example of the uniqueness of his work. Claude Debussy’s influence on music was extremely significant. Debussy is considered to be the main influence in the transition from the late romantic style to the style of the twentieth century.

Clair De Lune Segment of the third movement of his piano suite “Bergamasque” Began writing in 1890 and finally published in 1905 Was finally published in 1905 after Claude’s developed fame caught Publisher’s interest. “Clair De Lune” means moonlight in French, and the song depicts soft moonlight Perhaps the most famous of Claude Debussy’s piano compositions is titled Clair De Lune. It is a segment of the third movement of his “Suite Bergamasque” which he began writing in 1890 and finally published in 1905 after he worked and revised it throughout his time in Paris in school. Debussy altered two of the pieces, giving them a modern style and new names. It is a four-movement suite written by Debussy for the piano. His inspiration for the suite is a city in the foothills of the Italian Alps named Bergamo and it’s natives, the Bergamo. The people have a unique dance called the Bergamask and is awkward and clumsy. The piece has four movements, “Prelude”, “Menuet” “Clair De Lune” and “Passepied”. It was finally published in 1905 when a Publisher came to Debussy to make money off his new fame. This segment was originally titled Promenade Sentimentale, but Debussy changed the name to Clair de Lune after a poem by Paul Verlaine. Clair de Lune is a delicate piece painting the image of moonlight, "calm moonlight, beautiful and sad”(Debussy).

Clair De Lune Uses both chromatic and whole-tone scales Ternary Form Homophonic texture Conjunct Melody Clair De Lune uses a large range of piano notes. Chromatic and whole tone scales can be found within this range. This piece uses ternary form. The texture of the piece is homophonic, meaning the top line gives the melody while the bottom line accompanies. The melody can be described as conjunct.

Clair De Lune Harmony is D Flat Major Rhythm throughout is compound meter at 9/8th time Light Timbre, transitions to heavier and darker ABA Form The harmony of this piece is played in D Flat Major, accompanying the melody. Throughout the piece the rhythm can be labeled as compound meter and is in 9/8th time. The timbre of the piece is light but over the span of the piece, progresses to become darker and heavier. The structure of Clair De Lune is ABA, although the song stays mostly in the A section, making the B section very short.

Clair De Lune: Listening Guide 0:01 0:35 Introduction. Soft and slow rhythm. Major mode. Begins scaling the piano, at this particular moment, the scale starts high and becomes lower. Song begins to run and scale the piano further. Low to high, and swiftly. Increased tempo, but still slow. Timbre becomes darker and more dramatic, Low notes on major mode accompany higher notes playing the melody. Variation in tempos. Tempo continues to increase Tempo dramatically increases, large runs begin. Thicker texture. Both The melody and the harmony player higher, giving lighter timbre. Up until the the 35 second mark is the Introduction to the piece. The beginning of the piece has a thin texture, as there are few notes. At the 35 second mark, the song begins to increase tempo as the note scale begins to run low to high. A thicker texture begins as more notes are added in chords. Large runs begin to scale the piano, as the melody and harmony begin to rise to higher and lighter notes. 1:00 1:20 1:45 2:15

Clair De Lune: Listening Guide 2:30 Tempo increases, Timbre becomes more dramatic Harmony and Melody return lower with increased tempo Only harmony plays, higher notes. Mix of slow and fast tempos. Returns to low notes. Section A plays again as long scaled runs being again. Slower tempo resumes. Lighter timbre. Tempo increases, new runs introduced. Begin low, and finish high. Song ends with final runs and completes with higher notes, slower tempo, and thinner texture 2:50 3:00 Around the 2:50 mark, the Harmony and Melody return to lower notes again. The song returns to higher notes as the harmony takes over at the 3:00 mark. 3:30 4:15 5:00

Arabesques: No 1 & 2 -Première Arabesque & Deuxième Arabesque -Both composed between 1888 and 1891 -Two of Debussy’s earliest works -Arabesque defined as “a short piece of music featuring various melodic, contrapuntal, or harmonic decorations” Debussy’s next most famous work are his Arabesque pieces, the Premiere and the Deuxieme. They were some of his earliest works and were composed between the years 1888 and 1891. The two are some of Debussy’s earliest works, composing them in his twenties. They are both titles by Debussy after the musical definition of an Arabesque,“a short piece of music featuring various melodic, contrapuntal, or harmonic decorations”.

Arabesques: No 1 & 2 First has a Andantino con moto tempo and is played in E major Second has a Allegretoo Scherzando tempo and is played in G major. Have wide scale range through modes and keys Both make several transpositions and are played in the lower range of the piano The first and second pieces are not identical in their musical dynamics, but are similar in style and sound. The first piece has a andantino con moto tempo, and the second piece has a allegretto scherzando one.

Arabesque 1: Première Listening Guide Section A. Harmony begins with quick tempo. Begins ascending and descending the piano. Melody played E minor, accompanying the harmony. Tempo increase. Run begins from high to low. Returns to high and repeats run. Begins running back up the piano scale, with a gradual fading of tempo. Simple right hand plays the harmony. Scales back down, with an increase of tempo and louder, more aggressive timbre. Melody and Harmony come together in E major with medium tempo, and light timbre again. Texture becomes thicker, as chords are added. 0:00 0:13 Arabesque one is in ABA- ternary form and has many tempo changes throughout. The entirety of the piece is long runs scaling the deeper notes on the piano for both the melody and the harmony. The piece begins with a quick tempo, in minor mode but with a soft and light timbre. This piece is thin in texture because of it being a solo piano work, and simple chords and runs make up both the melody and harmony 0:23 0:45 1:10

Arabesque 1: Première Listening Guide Large scale climb of the piano low to high, both melody and harmony. Harmony begins to play high, accompanied by low melody notes. Dramatic but light timbre and thicker texture. Theme B. Both melody and harmony come together. Slow tempo, thicker texture. Long run from low to high, both melody and harmony together. Very fast tempo, then fades to slower, and back to fast. Melody and Harmony come together in minor. Slow Tempo, and a thin texture. Has a more dramatic timbre. Theme A repeats with long runs scaling down the piano with a fast tempo. Melody and harmony begins to slowly scale back up, then back down. Harmony alone plays high with a fast tempo, as melody plays simple low notes at a slow and calm tempo. Low to high, then reverse. Quick tempoed run from low to high. Song ends with a thin texture, and dramatic timbre as soft and long notes are played in both the melody and harmony 1:25 1:35 2:00 Timbre and tempo dramatically shift often throughout the piece. 3:00 3:20 4:00 4:40

Arabesque 2: Deuxième Listening Guide Section A. Extremely Fast tempo, thicker texture, and happy and loud timbre. Minor Mode. Section B introduced at a slower tempo, and heavier timbre. Right hand quickly playing harmony. Right hand simply playing melody. Section A begins again, Extremely Fast tempo, thicker texture, and happy and loud timbre. Tempo dramatically decreases. Softer and light timbre. Left hand playing the deep melody and right hand plays high melody. Tempo increases again. Melody and Harmony in higher range of the piano. Quick and light timbre. Large scales made up and down. Song ends with a lower and longer notes, giving it a heavier more calm timbre and thinner texture 0:00 1:00 The second arabesque starts off with a very fast tempo and the left hand plays the melody and the right hand plays the harmony with quick trills. 1:45 2:25 2:45 3:00

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