Date of Award
1976
Document Type
Senior Scholars Paper (Colby Access Only)
Department
Colby College. Music Dept.
Advisor(s)
George Maier
Second Advisor
Thomas R. Higgins
Abstract
Debussy was labelled an "impressionist" when his works were first performed. This classification generally resulted from criticism that his works were formless, that his harmonies were "irrational" (i.e., nonconformist), and that his compositional intent was somehow vague. Moreover, the criticism drew a parallel between this conception of Debussy's aesthetic and that of the impressionist painters, who were also thought to be vague in their presentation of forms. This sort of commentary is both superficial and insupportable. All attempts to align his aesthetic with that of the impressionist painters are contradicted by close examination of Debussy's works. Such examination, accomplished largely through thematic analysis, reveals that his forms are clearly organized, characterized by continuous development of germinal thematic material. His harmonies and orchestral combinations reveal a carefully worked out formal scheme. Far from being an impressionist, Debussy was an innovator, seeking his own form of personal expression.
Keywords
Claude Debussy, impressionist movement, impressionism
Recommended Citation
Smith, Jeffrey V., "The Relationship between Claude Debussy and the Impressionist Movement" (1976). Senior Scholar Papers. Paper 506.https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/seniorscholars/506
Copyright
Colby College theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed or downloaded from this site for the purposes of research and scholarship. Reproduction or distribution for commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the author.
Comments
Full-text download restricted to Colby College campus only.