Claude debussy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Claude debussy - Essay ExampleIf we consider Debussys medicament carefully, we can note the transition from the romantic compositions of the late 19th century to the modern music of the twentieth century. Debussy was very much influenced by a movement called Symbolism which is shown in the art and culture of his times. The word of honor of a small businessman and a seamstress, musician Claude Debussy was born in France in a neighbourhood known as St. Germain-en-Laye. His father owned a china shop. It was the time of the Franco-Prussian War and Debussy accompanied his pregnant mother to Cannes- the rest of the family moved to Paris. There Debussy was given piano lessons starting at the age of seven, pay for by his paternal aunt. His talent bloomed and at the age of ten, he was sent to the Paris Conservatorie, where he played out the next eleven years of his life, fortunate to study under such illustrious names as Ernest Guiraud (composition), Emile Durand (harmony), piano (Marmont el), organ (Cesar Franck) and Albert Lavingac (solfege). While he was clearly talented, his argumentative nature and refusal to con variate to the teaching guidelines did not win him support at the academy. His penchant for introducing intervals and dissonances was frowned upon. The summers of 1880-1882 were spent by Debussy in the company of one of Tchaikovskys patronesses, Nazedhde von Meck, as she travelled to Russia with her children. On her sending Debussys Danse Bohemienne to the Russian composer for his opinion, the reply given was that it was too short, seemed incomplete and lacked unity. Madame Vasnier, a singer he had met and her husband supported Debussy financially and emotionally at this time. Debussys composition Lenfant prodigue was fortunate to have won the 1884 Prix de Rome award. He was entitled to a 4 year scholarship at the Villa Medici, the French academy in Rome, where he went to further his studies during 1885-1887. He represent life there stifling and abomi nable, and often went into bouts of depression wherein he was unable to compose anything. By June 1885, Debussy in the end decided that he would go his own way, for he was too fond of his own ideas and a tart proponent of artistic freedom of expression. Debussys music has been noted for its new form of tonality which consists in general of parallel chords, bi-tonal chords, whole tone and pentatonic scale, unprepared modulations and glittering passages and webs of figurations. He combined the effects of musical tonality with harmonies that are similar, yet distinct from harmonic tonality (Parks, 87). Debussy was also influenced somewhat by Wagners music as it was in vogue after Wagners death in 1883. It appears that Debussy was reluctant to coadjutor himself with the Impressionist Movement since it was not receiving positive support from the critics at that time. But it was Debussys Prelude a lapres-midi dun faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun), a composition truly origina l in terms of both form and execution. It was to catapult him to the height of fame in the music world. Over his musical life, Debussy wrote 6 orchestral compositions, 4 for ballet, 16 soloist pieces, 9 for chamber, 29 for solo piano, 8 other piano, 64 for voice and piano, and 9 other literal pieces. Commenting upon two of Debussys most well known compositions, we have Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (1894) and displace le piano (1901). The first said piece was