Claude Achille Debussy

DEBUSSY, CLAUDE ACHILLE French composer, was born at St. Germain-en-Laye on Aug. 22, 1862, and died in Paris on March 26, 1918. His musical training he received at the Paris Conservatoire under Marmontel, Lavignac, Massenet and Guiraud. There, between 1874 and 1884, he gained many prizes for solf ege, pianoforte playing, accompanying, counterpoint and fugue, and, in the last-named year, the coveted Grand Prix de Rome by means of his cantata L'En f ant prodigue. In this composition germs of unusual and "new" talent were already latent, though, in the light of later developments, it is not very easy to discern them, for then Debussy had not come under the influence which ultimately turned his mind to the system which he afterwards used in so remarkable a manner.

Early Tendencies.-It

was not long, however, before these highly-individual tendencies revealed themselves. For, in order to fulfil that condition of the Prix de Rome which entails the submitting periodically of compositions to the judges, Debussy sent to them his symphonic suite, Printemps, to which exception was immediately taken by the judges on the ground of its formless ness and other unacademic qualities. Following in the wake of Printemps came La damoiselle Blue for female voices (solo and chorus) and orchestra-a setting of a French version of Rossetti's "The Blessed Damosel"-which, in the eyes of the judges, was even more unorthodox than its predecessor, though, be it said, fault was found almost as much with the libretto as with the music. So poor was the impression produced by these works, indeed, that both were denied the customary public performance.

The Rome period over, Debussy returned to Paris, whence shortly he went to Russia, where he came directly under the in fluence already referred to. That is to say, he absorbed here the native music, especially that of Moussorgsky who, recently de ceased, 'fad left behind him the reputation of a musical nihilist, and on his return to Paris the results became speedily apparent. At the same time the effect of this Russian visit should not be overrated, and there is no reason to suppose that it did more than confirm and strengthen tendencies which were already deeply implanted, and would have quite certainly revealed them selves in due course in any event.

Recognition Tardy.

Public recognition was rather slow in coming to Debussy, but in 1893 the Societe Nationale de Musique perfol-med his La damoiselle elue, in 1894 the Ysaye quartet in troduced the string quartet (one of his greatest achievements), while in the same year was heard anothzr of his most remarkable and individual creations, the now world-famous prelude L'Apres midi d'un faune, which could no longer leave room for doubt as to the originality of its composer. Concurrently also, his piano forte pieces were being performed more and more. The works named were followed in due course by his only opera, Pelleas et Melisande, first heard at the Opera Comique on April 3o, 19°2. Then it was little understood, but understanding came in due course, and it was recognized as one of the most notable contri butions to the repertory of the lyric stage since Wagner.

In an Apologia which he subsequently published, Debussy de clared that in composing Pelleas he had wanted to dispense with "parasitic musical phrases." "Melody," he observed, "is, if I may say so, almost anti-lyric and powerless to express the constant change of emotion and life. Melody is suitable only for the chan son, which confirms a fixed sentiment. I have never been willing that my music should hinder, through technical exigencies, the change of sentiment and passion felt by my characters. It is effaced as soon as it is necessary that these should have perfect liberty in their gestures or in their cries, in their joy and in their sorrow." And these principles found exquisite expression in the work as carried out, of which Dr. Ernest Walker has happily ob served—"It is one of the great landmarks in the history of opera; it is the summit of musical impressionism, catching every faint nuance of the words, always suggesting rather than saying, but always tense and direct and full of throbbing beauty." Works for Piano and Orchestra.—But, outstanding as is Pelleas et Melisande, it is surpassed even in importance by De bussy's contributions to piano literature, in which by the novelty of his methods he was responsible for the greatest development which had been effected in the technique since Chopin. In such things as La Soiree dans Grenade, Jardin's sous la pluie, L'isle joyeuse, Reflets dans l'eau, Bruyeres and La Cathedrale engloutie, he revealed possibilities which had previously been entirely un suspected in the best known and most exhaustively studied of all instruments. Such music might not be of the highest order, in deed it made no pretensions to bigness or grandeur, but in its delicacy, subtlety and refinement, in its exquisite adaptation of the most novel means to the purposes of the most sensitive musi cal impressionism, it possessed a fascination all its own, and may be said to have opened a new chapter in the history of the art.

Debussy's work for the orchestra was, as a whole, of less sig nificance in the technical sense; he did many fine things also, be sides the consummate L'Apres-Midi, in this field. Such are the exquisite nocturnes Nuages, Fetes and Sirenes, one and all the last word in delicate impressionism. Neither should mention be omitted of his songs, all characterized by the same individuality of style and perfection of workmanship distinguishing his music as a whole, and including such examples as "Mandoline," "Re cuillement," "Fantoches," "La Flute de Pan" and "La Chevelure," things which have long since won universal favour.

Musical System.

As to the theories, so much debated, of this remarkable musician, probably in the whole range of musical history there has not appeared a more difficult theorist to "place." Unquestionably Debussy has introduced a new system of colour into music, which has begun already to exert widespread influence.

Roughly, Debussy's system may be summarized thus: First, a scale basis is of six whole tones (enharmonic), as middle C, D, E, Gb, Ab, Bb, which are of excellent sound when super-imposed in the form of two augmented unrelated triads, used frequently incomplete (i.e., by the omission of one note) by Debussy.

Now, upon the basis of an augmented triad a tune may be played above it provided that it be based upon the six-tone scale, and a fugue may be written, the re-entry of the subject of which may be made upon any note of the scale, and the harmony will be complete.

Secondly, a-free use of the chord of the 7th, 9th, nth and i3th upon every degree of the scale instead of (as in the conven tional theory) only upon the tonic, super-tonic and dominant, in conjunction with melodies constructed upon the ordinary diatonic scale. These two methods have an interesting connection which can be shown, i.e., let a major 9th be taken: ,„ one may conventionally flatten or sharpen the fifth of this (A becoming or b as desired) : if both the flattened and sharpened fifths be taken in the one chord this chord is arrived at, which is composed of the notes of the aforesaid scale whole-tone. It will be noticed that chords of the 9th in sequence and in all forms occur in Debussy's music as well as the augmented triad harmonics, where the melodic line is based on the tonal scale. This, in all likelihood, is the outcome of Debussy's instinctive feeling for the association of his so-called discovery with the ordinary scale.

But the appearance of a whole-tone scale as a by-product of ' two ordinary chords a tritone apart (as in a Neapolitan cadence) decorated by passing notes: must not be confused with the conscientious avoidance of classical key-relation which Debussy intends. As is shown in the article HARMONY, even Debussy's whole-tone scale really falls into the classical scheme, with much more various results. Debussy him self becomes eclectic in his later works though he would never have allowed the whole-tone chord to resolve in a classical poly phony. (R. H. L.; X.)