C. Debussy's Vocal and Choral Music from The Aspect of Artistic Dialogue with The Traditions of Ancient Musical Art
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7596/taksad.v11i2.3147Keywords:
C. Debussy's vocal and choral music, dialogue, impressionism, genre and stylistic features, traditions.Abstract
The article deals with the study of the cycle Trois Chansons de Charles d'Orléans by Claude Debussy. The innovation and genre diversity of C. Debussy's musical heritage requires a thorough study in various aspects, from historical one to genre and style. Among the least studied problems of French musical art in the early twentieth century is the question of the phenomenon of dialogue of musical traditions in C. Debussy’s choral work. This determines the relevance of the article. The aim of the research is to comprehend Claude Debussy’s creative search in the genre of choral music a cappella in retrospective and perspective senses on the example of a cappella choral work Trois Chansons de Charles d'Orléans. The choral genre a cappella in C. Debussy’s work is presented only in the cycle “Trois Chansons de Charles d'Orléans”. It was created in 1908, during the heyday of the composer's creative talent. The synthesis of ancient French pieces with the a cappella choral genre speaks for itself about the connection of these songs with the traditions of the popular vocal and choral genre chanson.
The main thing in the music of this choral cycle is conveying moods that acquire the meaning of symbols, fixing barely perceptible psychological states caused by contemplation of the outside world. Debussy's choral orchestration is dominated by pure colors, capricious reflections; often used instrumental techniques such as passages (imitation of the harp sound), complex divisi of the male choir. Ostinato backgrounds are typical and purely decorative, evenly flowing. Rhythmics is sometimes shaky and elusive. The melody is characterized not by rounded constructions, but by short expressive phrases-symbols, and layers of motives. A special freshness to the music was added by the appeal to song and dance genres, the subtle transformation of elements of rhythms, borrowed from French folklore.
Debussy's music of the choral cycle is always national in its character, mood and inner intonation always merges with the depth of the streams of folk songs and French lyrical poetry. Thus, the genre-style constants of C. Debussy’s choir composition are the composer's commitment to musical symbolism and the embodiment of symbolist poetry; “musicalization” of the Old French poetry and reliance on French national origins.
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