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Symposium.
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New Approaches
toAnalysis
Claude Debussy,
Contrapuntiste
malgrlui
Peter DeLone
Indiana University,
Bloomington
49
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The voice-leadingin measures179 to 180 of the toccatasuggestsWagand tonal ambiguity.This facetof Debussy'scounternerianpart-writing
point,as shownin the reductionin Ex. 2 (b), is predicatedon the semitone
observedas well in the organ
contrarymotionof the outerpartsfrequently
worksofCsar Franck.
Much more indicative,however,is the texturaldelineationof upper
and lowerpartsthroughthecontrastor combinationof legatoand staccato.
50
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The artfullyfashionedpart-writing
of Chopin, the crux of whichlies in a
capacity to create step and commontone connectionsin innerand bass
parts,can be observedthroughoutDebussy'sworks,as well. It is nowhere
deDelphes,
morenoticeablethanin passagessuchas the openingofDanseuses
the firstPreludefromVolume I (see Ex. 4(a) on the top of the nextpage).
Even such essentiallychordal-styled
passages as this reveal a modicumof
contrapuntal interestin termsof inner-partintegrityand outer-voice
Like Chopin,Debussyoftencementsstep triadicor sevcounter-directions.
51
52
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53
melodicostinatiare a majortexturalresourceofDeAccompanimental
bussy;as suchtheyprovidea simpleyeteffective
typeofcounterlineagainst
the morevariedand interesting
activityof othervoices.A tenorostinatois
introducedin measure22 of Voilesand restatedforfivemeasures.The ostinato (and supportingB-flatpedal) providesa complementary
counterpoint
againstwhicha variantof the openingmotivicmaterialis developed.The
contrastof rhythmicactivityand relativetonal stabilityprovidedby the
ostinatorepresents
a satisfactory
solutionto the problemof extensionposed
herein.It is a solutionthatDebussyemployedcountlesstimesand it is one
that is essentiallycontrapuntal.It is also a solutionthat Stravinsky
found
highlyacceptableas well.
Prelude No. 4 offersfar more explicitharmonicvarietyand interest
dans Vairdu
than does Voiles.Like Voiles,No. 4 (Les sonset les parfumstournent
soir)incorporatesmotivicrecurrencesupportedby a melodicostinatoin a
simpletwo-partcounterpoint.
#feJJ171;
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The ostinatois preparedin the lowervoice at measure15 fortwo measures, then retained in the upper voice against a chordal main voice
soundedbelow,beginningin measure18. The main tonal connectionrelating the ostinatoand main part is theircommon root pitch of C-sharp.
seventhchord(on Cis thatofa major-minor
Again themain tonalreferent
no
value in a
has
functional
the
As
be
sharp). might anticipated, sonority
is
strands
of
of
the
two
The
differentiation
activity textural,the one
key.
sonorities
in
treated
the
other
of
planed three-note
consisting singlepitches
sevenths(incomplete),and inconsistingof diminishedtriads,major-minor
chords.
seventh
diminished
complete
PreludeNo. 6 (Des pas surla neige)is a charmingand expressivepiece
whichin its own understatedway providesan excellentglimpseof DebusThe piece is an unclutteredand economicallyunfolded
sian counterpoint.
eventsheld togetherin part by a three-note
successionof linear-harmonic
the
that
piece alone (see Ex. 5). Measures 2 to 4 inpedal-ostinato
begins
volve two-partcounterpointover the same tonic (D) pedal. The counterof the one-measureostinatosupportpointis composedof threestatements
is
the
melody
unfoldingabove it. Dissonancetreatment
ing
lovely,plaintive
on
of
form
tertian
linear
and
not
complexity.
essentially
predicated any
Rudimentarythree-voicecounterpointformsthe frameworkfor the
texturebegun at measure5. Step contrarymotionis the basis for
five-part
the outervoice movementto a climacticninthchord in measure7, while
54
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55
is a productof theostinato's
innervoiceindependence
placementin the
forsteppart-movement
is apparentagain in
tenor.Debussy'spredilection
8 to 11.At thispointtheostinatois givenfurther
measures
prominence
by
in
with
an
bass
the
voice
Two
accompanying counter-figure.
top
appearing
ostinati
begunat measure16.
enveloptheD pedal forthethreemeasures
2 to 4 oftheopening;thetexture
The mainvoiceis derivedfrommeasures
discretepartswhosemeaning(thepedal exof fourrhythmically
consists
interest
melodic,harmonic
cepted)is essentially
beingminimal.Againthe
exmoresuggests
thandefines
ofparts,intervallic
and rhythmic,
movement
and
and competing
fashioned
parts.But therhythmic
contrapuntal
plicitly
of
a
linear
that
is
indicative
herein
of
contoural
impulse far
separation parts
or
interest.
harmonic
overshadows
meaning
a briefphraseappearsthatprovidesstill
One measureaftera Tempo,
ofthepiecethatcontextures
ofthesimpleand unadorned
another
glimpse
or subtle
linear
of
combined
an
reveal
motives,
figures,
interplay
sistently
in rhythm
orarticulation.
contrasted
ofvoices,typically
counter-movements
and migratvarying
Againthepieceis extendedby a processoftexturally
That imitative
processes
playno rolein
inga fewsupplelinearelements.
ofthe
fromthefactthattheextension
in no waydetracts
thepiece'sgrowth
as
harmonic
the
based
on
is
much
as
composer'scontrapuntal
piece
inventiveness.
oneofthemostfrequently
PreludeNo. 10 {La Cathedrale
perengloutie),
from
effects
obtainable
of
on
the
is
formed, predicated
layers keylargely
These
ofharmonic
combinations.
ofa richvariety
boardsonority
consisting
to
span the gamutfromthe dyadsof the openingmeasures the quartaltertian
sonorat measure14and includetheextended
quintalcombinations
in fourths
and secondsare
itiesof measures16 to 21. Chordsconstructed
theendsofbothofthepiece'smainsections,
meaprominent
approaching
^=
f
f
is charsures40 to46 and 84 to 86. The piece'sopeninggesture,^ *rr
fifth.
The
melodic
second
and
a
acterized
rising
succeeding
by risingmajor
of thepieceis based to a greatextenton varioustransformations
growth
ofthatbasicthematic
andrestatements
gesture.
shownin Ex. 6, are combinedin
relatedfigures,
Two intervallically
Ex. 6. Debussy,La dansedePuck,Preludes,Vol. I, mm.87-90.
Dans le mouv* - //Retenu
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60
imposed
Again it is easy to observea numberof compositionalconstraints
by the composerwhichcontributemarkedlyto the balance and coherence
of the writing;the stabilityof a pedal, the dominanceof step-motionin
moving parts, step and contrarystep-motionpredominating,and the
ofeach of thethreestrata.
individuality
rhythmic
Passagessuch as the one to follow,whichinvolvea skillfulintegration
of both linearand harmonicmaterials,knowledgeably
deployedforthe orchestra,are as indicativeas any of the composer'scraftand economicaluse
of materials.The impact of such passageson Debussy'simmediatesuccessuch as The
and Bartok,as observedin compositions
sors,such as Stravinsky
or FirstStringQuartet,seems
Rite ofSpring,Bartok's Two Portraits
for Orchestra
(b)
Cor A
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(c)
61
is very
That Debussy will ever be acknowledgedas a contrapuntist
of what
much in doubt; our biases towardsclosed traditionaldescriptions
will see to that.However,giventhe clichesand acconstitutes
counterpoint
of counterpoint,homophony,and other
definitions
cepting traditional
terms,theremaybe enoughlatitudefora moreexpandedviewofthe range
of styleand masteryof craftthat are clearlyapparentin the worksof Debussy,thereluctantcontrapuntist.
62
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