Debussy Prélude Flashcards
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
structure
in the most general terms, how would you describe the structure of the Prélude?
modified ternary ABA’
where A and A’ are based on the opening flute melody
B is the contrasting music in the middle - the pentatonic/diatonic/regualr melides plus the ‘big tune’
there are transitions between sections and a short coda
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
tonality
It’s all rather vague and impressionist, but in which key does the Prélude begin and end?
E major
A-section begins in E and modulates to B (dominant)
A’-section begins and ends in E major
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
tonality
One of the only sections of the Prélude which is in a clearly defined tune is the woowdwind secion ‘big tune’ at the end of the central section. What key is it in?
D-flat major
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
tonality
In the transition between the first section (based on the opening flute melody) and the second section (more pentatonic/diatonic) the music is mostly derived from a particular exotic scale (very characerisic of Debussy) which makes any sense of key impossible…
what scale is this?
Whole-tone scale
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
Is any of the harmony functional or diatonic?
sometimes
There are anumber of places where there are clear perfect cadences.
much of the melodic writing (especially in the middle section) is diatonic - it’s just that the key/scale doesn’t stay fixed for very long
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
Harmony
we could say that Debussy uses an expanded range of chords (more than Brahms, for example)
give some examples
added 6th chords
dominant 9ths, 11ths and 13ths
half-diminished chords
whole-tone chords
major seventh chords
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
harmony
although by no means atonal, Debussy does some harmonic thngs tht might have upset a slightly earlier composer like Brahms
for example?
sevenths and ninths that are not prepeared or resolved
parallel major triads
parallel dominant seventh chords
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
how would you describe the opening flute melody?
in two parts
1) descending and ascending near-chromatic in short notes - spanning a tritone,
2) a more diatonic, disjunct, triadic (E major) melody in longer notes
low in tessitura
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
melodic development
how does Debussy vary the opening flute melody in the first section of the Prélude?
- different note lengths
- interval of descent/ascent varies
- fragmentation
- sequence
- different harmonization
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
rhythm and meter
if we say that the form/structure is a modified ABA’ then the rhythmic/metric feel in A is quite different from that in B
explain
A-sections are rhythmically and metrically vague - little sense of downbeat. Mainly compound time, frequent changes of meter, rhythmically complex melodies
B-section is mainly in 3/4, more defined downbeats, less complex melodies (semiquaver based), but more syncopated against the more regular meter.
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
In terms of texture (-phony words) the Prélude is pretty simple.
explain
almost entirely melody dominanted homophony throughout
opening is monophonic
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
Debussy’s orchestra is not entirely standard.
What’s different?
no trumpets
no trombones
no tuba
no timpani
2 harps
antique cymbals
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
Debussy doesn’t use (score for) his orchestra in a typical Romantic way - what’s the main difference?
He favours woodwind instruments over the more usual strings (who mostly provide accompaniment)
first violins in particular are silent for much of the opening section
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
althought the strings have a somewhat smaller role than normal, they do play with a variety of different techniques
for example?
multiple divisi
mutes
bowing over the fingerboard
tremolo
tremolando
pizzicato
Debussy — Prélude à l’après midi d’un faun
apart from just playing normal notes, the harps use two distinctive playing techniques
?
glissando
harmonics
