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Biography

Debussy before impressionism

Debussy began to systematically study composition only in December 1880 with professor, member of the Academy of Fine Arts Ernest Guiraud. Six months before entering Guiraud's class, Debussy traveled through Switzerland and Italy as a home pianist and music teacher in the family of a wealthy Russian philanthropist, Nadezhda von Meck. Debussy spent the summers of 1881 and 1882 near Moscow, on her estate Pleshcheyevo. Communication with the von Meck family and stay in Russia had a beneficial effect on the development of the young musician. In her house, Debussy became acquainted with the new Russian music of Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Balakirev and composers close to them. In a number of letters from von Meck to Tchaikovsky, a certain “dear Frenchman” was sometimes mentioned, who spoke with admiration of his music and read scores excellently. Together with von Meck, Debussy also visited Florence, Venice, Rome, Moscow and Vienna, where he first heard the musical drama “Tristan and Isolde,” which became the subject of his admiration and even worship for a good ten years. The young musician lost this equally pleasant and profitable job as a result of an inopportunely discovered love for one of von Meck’s many daughters.

Returning to Paris, Debussy, in search of work, became an accompanist in the vocal studio of Madame Moreau-Senty, where he met the wealthy amateur singer and music lover Madame Vanier. She significantly expanded his circle of acquaintances and introduced Claude Debussy into the circles of Parisian artistic bohemia. For Vanier, Debussy composed several exquisite romances, among which were such masterpieces as “Mandolin” and “Mutely.”

At the same time, Debussy continued his studies at the conservatory, trying to achieve recognition and success also among his colleagues, academic musicians. In 1883, Debussy received his second Prix de Rome for his cantata Gladiator. Not stopping there, he continued his efforts in this direction and a year later, in 1884, received the Grand Prix de Rome for the cantata “The Prodigal Son” (French: L’Enfant prodigue). In a strangeness as touching as it was unexpected, this happened thanks to the personal intervention and benevolent support of Charles Gounod. Otherwise, Debussy probably would not have received this cardboard professional crown of all academics from music - "this unique certificate of origin, enlightenment and authenticity of the first degree", as Debussy and his friend, Erik Satie, later jokingly called the Prix de Rome among themselves.

The Roman period did not become particularly fruitful for the composer, since neither Rome nor Italian music were close to him, but here he became acquainted with the poetry of the Pre-Raphaelites and began to compose a poem for voice and orchestra “The Chosen Virgin” (French La damoiselle élue) with words Gabriel Rossetti is the first work in which the features of his creative individuality were outlined. After serving the first few months at the Villa Medici, Debussy sent his first Roman epistle to Paris - the symphonic ode "Suleima" (after Heine), and a year later - a two-part suite for orchestra and choir without words "Spring" (after the famous painting by Botticelli), prompting the Academy's infamous official review:

“Undoubtedly, Debussy does not sin with flat turns and banality. On the contrary, he is distinguished by a clearly expressed desire to search for something strange and unusual. He displays an excessive sense of musical color, which at times makes him forget the importance of clarity of design and form. He must especially beware of vague impressionism, such a dangerous enemy of truth in works of art."

This review is notable, first of all, for the fact that, despite all the academic inertia of the content, it is essentially deeply innovative. This 1886 paper went down in history as the first mention of “impressionism” in relation to music. It should be especially noted that at that time, impressionism was fully formed as an artistic movement in painting, but in music (including Debussy himself) it not only did not exist, but was not even planned yet. Debussy was only at the beginning of his search for a new style, and the frightened academics, with the carefully cleaned tuning fork of their ears, grasped the future direction of his movement - and fearfully warned him. Debussy himself spoke with rather caustic irony about his “Zuleima”: “she reminds too much of either Verdi or Meyerbeer”...

However, the most important event of this time was, perhaps, an unexpected acquaintance in 1891 with the pianist of the Tavern in Clou (French Auberge du Clou) in Montmartre, Eric Satie, who held the position of second pianist. At first, Debussy was attracted by the harmonically fresh and unusual improvisations of the cafe accompanist, and then by his judgments about music, free from any stereotypes, originality of thinking, independent, rough character and caustic wit, which absolutely did not spare any authorities. Also, Satie interested Debussy with his innovative piano and vocal compositions, written with a bold, although not entirely professional, hand. The uneasy friendship and enmity of these two composers, who determined the face of French music at the beginning of the 20th century, continued for almost a quarter of a century. Thirty years later, Erik Satie described their meeting as follows:

"When we first met,<…>he was like a blotter, thoroughly saturated with Mussorgsky and painstakingly searched for his path, which he could not find and find. It was in this matter that I far surpassed him: neither the Prize of Rome... nor the “prizes” of any other cities in this world weighed down my gait, and I did not have to carry them either on myself or on my back...<…>At that moment I was writing “Son of the Stars” - to the text of Joseph Péladan; and Debussy explained many times the need for us French to finally free ourselves from the overwhelming influence of Wagner, which is completely inconsistent with our natural inclinations. But at the same time I made it clear to him that I was not at all an anti-Wagnerist. The only question was that we should have our own music - and, if possible, without German sauerkraut.

But why not for these purposes use the same visual means that we have long seen in Claude Monet, Cezanne, Toulouse-Lautrec and others? Why not transfer these funds to music? Nothing could be simpler. Isn’t this what real expressiveness is?”

Having abandoned the composition of the opera “Rodrigue and Ximena” for the libretto (in Satie’s words) “that pathetic Wagnerist Catulle Mendes”, in 1893 Debussy began the long process of composing an opera based on Maeterlinck's drama Pelléas et Mélisande. And a year later, sincerely inspired by Mallarmé’s eclogue, Debussy wrote the symphonic prelude “The Afternoon of a Faun” (fr. Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un faune), which was destined to become a kind of manifesto of a new musical movement: impressionism in music.

Creation

Throughout the rest of his life, Debussy had to struggle with illness and poverty, but he worked tirelessly and very fruitfully. From 1901, he began appearing in periodicals with witty reviews on the events of current musical life (after the death of Debussy, they were collected in the collection Monsieur Croche - antidilettante, published in 1921). Most of his piano works appeared during the same period.

The two series of Images (1905-1907) were followed by the Children's Corner suite (1906-1908), dedicated to the composer's daughter Shushu.

Debussy made several concert trips to provide for his family. He conducted his works in England, Italy, Russia and other countries. Two notebooks of preludes for piano (1910-1913) demonstrate the evolution of the unique sound and visual writing characteristic of the composer's piano style. In 1911, he wrote music for Gabriele d'Annunzio's mystery The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian; the score was made based on his markings by the French composer and conductor A. Caplet. In 1912, the orchestral cycle Images appeared. Debussy had long been attracted to ballet, and in 1913 he composed the music for the ballet Games, which was performed by Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev's Russian Seasons company in Paris and London. In the same year, the composer began work on the children's ballet “Toy Box” - its instrumentation was completed by Kaple after the death of the author. This vigorous creative activity was temporarily suspended by the First World War, but already in 1915 numerous piano works appeared, including Twelve Etudes dedicated to the memory of Chopin. Debussy began a series of chamber sonatas, to a certain extent based on the style of French instrumental music of the 17th-18th centuries. He managed to complete three sonatas from this cycle: for cello and piano (1915), for flute, viola and harp (1915), for violin and piano (1917). Debussy received a commission from Giulio Gatti-Casazza of the Metropolitan Opera for an opera based on Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Fall of the House of Usher", on which he began work in his youth. He still had enough strength to remake the opera libretto.

Essays

A complete catalog of Debussy's works was compiled by François Lesure (Geneva, 1977; new edition: 2001).

Operas

• Pelléas and Mélisande (1893-1895, 1898, 1900-1902)

Ballets

• Kamma (1910-1912)
• Games (1912-1913)
• Toy Box (1913)

Works for orchestra

• Symphony (1880-1881)
• Suite "The Triumph of Bacchus" (1882)
• Suite "Spring" for women's choir and orchestra (1887)
• Fantasia for piano and orchestra (1889-1896)
• Prelude "Afternoon of a Faun" (1891-1894). There is also an original arrangement for two pianos, made in 1895.
• "Nocturnes" is a program symphonic work that includes 3 pieces: "Clouds", "Celebrations", "Sirens" (1897-1899)
• Rhapsody for alto saxophone and orchestra (1901-1908)
• "The Sea", three symphonic sketches (1903-1905). There is also an original arrangement for piano 4 hands, made in 1905.
• Two Dances for Harp and Strings (1904). There is also an original arrangement for two pianos, made in 1904.
• "Images" (1905-1912)

Chamber music

• Piano Trio (1880)
• Nocturne and scherzo for violin and piano (1882)
• String Quartet (1893)
• Rhapsody for clarinet and piano (1909-1910)
• "Syringa" for solo flute (1913)
• Sonata for cello and piano (1915)
• Sonata for flute, harp and viola (1915)
• Sonata for violin and piano (1916-1917)

Works for piano

A) for piano 2 hands

• "Gypsy Dance" (1880)
• Two arabesques (circa 1890)
• Mazurka (circa 1890)
• "Dreams" (circa 1890)
• "Bergamas Suite" (1890; edited 1905)
• "Romantic Waltz" (circa 1890)
• Nocturne (1892)
• "Images", three plays (1894)
• Waltz (1894; notes lost)
• Piece “For Piano” (1894-1901)
• "Images", 1st series of plays (1901-1905)

1. I. Reflet dans l’eau // Reflections in water
2. II. Hommage a Rameau // Dedication to Rameau
3. III.Mouvement // Movement

• Suite "Prints" (1903)

1. Pagodas
2. Evening in Grenada
3. Gardens in the rain

• "Island of Joy" (1903-1904)
• "Masks" (1903-1904)
• Play (1904; based on a sketch for the opera “The Devil in the Bell Tower”)
• Suite “Children's Corner” (1906-1908)

1. Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum // Doctor “Gradus ad Parnassum” or Doctor “The Path to Parnassus”. The title is associated with the famous cycle of Clementi etudes - systematic exercises to achieve the heights of performing skills.
2. Elephant lullaby
3. Serenade to the doll
4. Snow is dancing
5. Little shepherd
6. Puppet Cake-Walk

• "Images", 2nd series of plays (1907)

1. Cloches à travers les feuilles //Ringing of bells through the foliage
2. Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut // Temple ruins in the light of the moon
3. Poissons d`or // Goldfish

• "Hommage a Haydn" (1909)
• Preludes. Notebook 1 (1910)

1. Danseuses de Delphes // Delphic dancers
2. Voiles // Sails
3. Le vent dans la plaine // The wind on the plain
4. Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir // Sounds and aromas float in the evening air
5. Les collines d’Anacapri // Hills of Anacapri
6. Des pas sur la neige // Steps in the snow
7. Ce qu’a vu le vent de l’ouest // What the west wind saw
8. La fille aux cheveux de lin // The girl with flaxen hair
9. La sérénade interrompue // Interrupted serenade
10. La cathédrale engloutie // The Sunken Cathedral
11. La danse de Puck // Dance of Puck
12. Minstrels // Minstrels

• "More Than Slow (Waltz)" (1910)
• Preludes. Notebook 2 (1911-1913)

1. Brouillards // Mists
2. Feuilles mortes // Dead leaves
3. La puerta del vino // Gate of the Alhambra [traditional translation]
4. Les fées sont d’exquises danseuses // Fairies - lovely dancers
5. Bruyères // Heather
6. General Levine - eccentric // General Levine (Lyavin) - eccentric
7. La Terrasse des audiences du clair de lune // Terrace of dates by moonlight (Terrace illuminated by moonlight)
8. Ondine // Ondine
9. Hommage a S. Pickwick Esq. P.P.M.P.C. // Tribute to S. Pickwick, Esq.
10. Canope // Canopy
11. Les tierces alternées // Alternating thirds
12. Feux d'artifice // Fireworks

• "Heroic Lullaby" (1914)
• Elegy (1915)
• "Etudes", two books of plays (1915)

B) for piano 4 hands

• Andante (1881; unpublished)
• Divertimento (1884)
• "Little Suite" (1886-1889)
• “Six ancient epigraphs” (1914). There is the author's arrangement of the last of the six pieces for piano 2 hands, made in 1914.

B) for 2 pianos

• "Black and White", three plays (1915)

Adaptations of other people's works

• Two Gymnopedies (1st and 3rd) by E. Satie for orchestra (1896)
• Three dances from P. Tchaikovsky’s ballet “Swan Lake” for piano 4 hands (1880)
• “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso” by C. Saint-Saëns for 2 pianos (1889)
• Second Symphony by C. Saint-Saëns for 2 pianos (1890)
• Overture to R. Wagner's opera “The Flying Dutchman” for 2 pianos (1890)
• “Six Etudes in Canon Form” by R. Schumann for 2 pianos (1891)

Sketches, lost works, plans

• Opera "Rodrigo and Ximena" (1890-1893; not completed). Reconstructed by Richard Langham Smith and Edison Denisov (1993)
• Opera “The Devil in the Bell Tower” (1902-1912?; sketches). Reconstructed by Robert Orledge (premiered in 2012)
• Opera “The Fall of the House of Usher” (1908-1917; not completed). There are several reconstructions, including those by Juan Allende-Blina (1977), Robert Orledge (2004)
• Opera “Crimes of Love (Gallant Celebrations)” (1913-1915; sketches)
• Opera "Salambo" (1886)
• Music for the play “Satan's Wedding” (1892)
• Opera "Oedipus at Colonus" (1894)
• Three Nocturnes for violin and orchestra (1894-1896)
• Ballet "Daphnis and Chloe" (1895-1897)
• Ballet "Aphrodite" (1896-1897)
• Ballet "Orpheus" (circa 1900)
• Opera "As You Like It" (1902-1904)
• Lyrical tragedy "Dionysus" (1904)
• Opera "The Story of Tristan" (1907-1909)
• Opera "Siddhartha" (1907-1910)
• Opera "Oresteia" (1909)
• Ballet “Masks and Bergamasques” (1910)
• Sonata for oboe, horn and harpsichord (1915)
• Sonata for clarinet, bassoon, trumpet and piano (1915)
. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1990. - P. 165. - ISBN 5-85270-033-9.
• Kremlev Yu. Claude Debussy, M., 1965
• Sabinina M. Debussy, in the book Music of the 20th century, part I, book. 2, M., 1977
• Yarocinsky S. Debussy, impressionism and symbolism, trans. from Polish, M., 1978
• Debussy and the music of the 20th century. Sat. Art., L., 1983
• Denisov E. About some features of the compositional technique of C. Debussy, in his book: Modern music and problems of computer evolution. technology, M., 1986
• Barraque J. Claude Debussy, R., 1962
• Golaa A.S. Debussy, I'homme et son oeuvre, P., 1965
• Golaa A.S. Claude Debussy. Liste complete des oeuvres…, P.-Gen., 1983
• Lockspeiser E. Debussy, L.-, 1980.
• Hendrik Lücke: Mallarmé - Debussy. Eine vergleichende Studie zur Kunstanschauung am Beispiel von “L’Après-midi d’un Faune.”(= Studien zur Musikwissenschaft, Bd. 4). Dr. Kovac, Hamburg 2005, ISBN 3-8300-1685-9.
• Denisov E. On some features of Claude Debussy's compositional technique// Modern music and problems of the evolution of composing technique. - M.: Soviet Composer, 1986.

Claude Debussy (150th birthday)
Today took place
Concert in the Small Philharmonic Hall dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the great French composer Claude Debussy.

Suite for piano
Children's Corner. Island of Joy
Preludes
Igor Uryash piano

String Quartet in G minor

String Quartet named after. I.F. Stravinsky
Alexander Shustin violin
Victor Lisnyak violin
Daniil Meerovich viola
Semyon Kovarsky cello

I'm trying to find new realities... fools call it impressionism.
C. Debussy

The French composer C. Debussy is often called the father of 20th century music. He showed that every sound, chord, tonality can be heard in a new way, can live a freer, more colorful life, as if enjoying its very sound, its gradual, mysterious dissolution into silence. Debussy really has a lot in common with pictorial impressionism: the self-sufficient brilliance of elusive, fluidly moving moments, his love of landscape, the airy trepidation of space. It is no coincidence that Debussy is considered the main representative of impressionism in music. However, he moved further away from traditional forms than the impressionist artists; his music is directed into our century much deeper than the paintings of C. Monet and O. Renoir

Debussy believed that music is similar to nature in its naturalness, endless variability and diversity of forms: “Music is precisely the art that is closest to nature... Only musicians have the advantage of capturing all the poetry of night and day, earth and sky, and recreating their atmosphere and rhythmically convey their immense pulsation.” Both nature and music are felt by Debussy as a mystery, and above all the mystery of birth, an unexpected, unique design of the capricious play of chance.

Claude Achille Debussy born August 22, 1862 in the suburbs of Paris Saint-Germain. His parents - petty bourgeois - loved music, but were far from real professional art. Random musical experiences in early childhood contributed little to the artistic development of the future composer. He studied at the Paris Conservatory. Already in his conservatory years, his unconventional thinking became evident, which caused clashes with harmony teachers. In 1881, Debussy, as a home pianist, accompanied the Russian philanthropist N. von Meck (a great friend of P. Tchaikovsky) on a trip to Europe, and then, at her invitation, visited Russia twice (1881, 1882). Thus began Debussy's acquaintance with Russian music, which greatly influenced the formation of his own style. “The Russians will give us new impulses to free ourselves from absurd constraint. They... opened a window overlooking the expanse of fields.” One day Debussy met in Switzerland the widow of a major industrialist and railway builder, Nadezhda Filaretovna von Meck, patron of Tchaikovsky and passionate lover of music. WITH Seventeen-year-old Debussy was the family's music teacher Nadezhda Filaretovna von Meck, Debussy taught the children of the millionaire piano, accompanied singers, and participated in home musical evenings. The hostess doted on the young Frenchman and talked with him for a long time and enthusiastically about music. However, when the young musician fell madly in love with her fifteen-year-old daughter Sonya and asked Nadezhda Filaretovna for her hand in marriage, conversations about music immediately stopped... The presumptuous music teacher was immediately denied his place.
“Dear monsieur,” von Meck said dryly to Debussy, “let’s not confuse God’s gift with scrambled eggs!” Besides music, I really love horses. But this does not mean at all that I am ready to become related to the groom...

Sonechka von Meck then married twice at her mother’s choice, and she loved Claude Debussy, just as he adored his first love and dedicated many works to her.

Watch an amazing film about von Meck and Debussy

The musical genius of Claude Debussy and his character as a man constantly immersed in dark thoughts made an indelible impression on many women. He was deeply loved by both his wives and his mistress, and two women even shot themselves because of him.

After returning from Russia to Paris, the “disgraced” Debussy did not remain unattended by women for long. Debussy began working as an accompanist for the young singer Madame Vasnier , whose husband had no idea what was happening during rehearsals in a separate room in their house, intended for music classes. Then Debussy went to Rome for two years, but when he returned to Paris, Madame Vasnier told him that their relationship was a thing of the past, and he should forget about it.For two years, Debussy had no permanent address until he settled with a young blonde named Gabrielle Dupont. Over the next 10 years, Gabrielle worked to financially support Debussy, who was composing brilliant musical works. Debussy constantly cheated on her, but she remained faithful to him and continued to live with him even when Claude was already engaged to the singer Therese Roger. This engagement was broken off after their trip to Brussels together, where Thérèse learned that Debussy had spent the night with another woman. Gabrielle's patience was simply amazing, but it came to an end when she accidentally found a love note written to Claude by some friend of his. Gabrielle tried to shoot herself, but survived and ended up in the hospital. After leaving the hospital, she lived with Debussy for several more months, and he behaved as if this episode had never happened in their lives. Gabrielle became friends at this time with Rosalie "Lily" Texier, a young dark-haired beauty who worked in a small Parisian shop. The girlfriends often met, drank coffee together and spent time having friendly conversations. The only thing that upset Gabrielle was that Claude didn't like Lily, and he often laughed at her. The ridicule, however, soon gave way to compliments, and Debussy and Lily got married in October 1899. Their family life began in complete lack of money. On the wedding day, Debussy gave a piano lesson to pay for their breakfast.
Lily was absolutely devoted to Debussy, but her youth, devotion and beauty were clearly not enough to keep Debussy. Four years after the wedding, Debussy began dating Emma Bardac, a singer and wife of a successful banker. On July 14, 1904, the composer went out for his morning walk and did not return home. A few weeks later, Lily learned from friends that Emma had also left her husband and was living with Debussy. On October 13, Lily could not stand it and shot herself twice. She was found by the returning Debussy, to whom she managed to send a note about her decision to commit suicide. Lily was saved by doctors, but one of the bullets was not removed, and Lily carried it in her chest for the rest of her life. On August 2, 1904, Debussy divorced Lily, and in the fall of 1905, Emma had a daughter from him. Emma divorced her husband in 1908 and married Debussy. Their family life turned out to be happy, although some unfairly accused Debussy of marrying for money. Emma was middle-aged and ugly, but a very smart woman and a caring wife. She was a support for Debussy and looked after and supported him in every possible way until Debussy's death. He died of cancer on March 25, 1918, having lived only 55 years.

One of Debussy's first works - cantata Prodigal Son. The history of the creation of the magnificent cantata “The Prodigal Son”, which brought Claude Debussy the Grand Prix de Rome, is very interesting. This was his graduation work at the Paris Conservatory. It was created in Russia when he served as the house pianist for Nadezhda Filaretovna von Meck. Debussy turned to God very early. Having repented in his youth, he began to commit sins, hoping for God’s love.

It must be said that the Parable of the Prodigal Son is the deepest place in Holy Scripture, closest to the heart of a sinner. It seems that if the Gospel had only this parable, from it alone one could get a complete understanding of God’s love for man. Such direct and compassionate participation of God in the fate of the sinner leaves no room for sin; from such fatherly love, repentance becomes, as it were, a necessity. This marvelous respect of God for a person in sin excludes any indifference to the holiness and purity of life.
How many different judgments about the nature of sin, about its “legality and necessity” have been generated by sinful humanity... And all these conjectures are crossed out by the Love of God the Father for his youngest son, who was seduced by the imaginary joy of external freedom and has not yet known the true joy of internal freedom - freedom from sins and the madness that a person receives only by returning to God. Love is the whole essence of life, and only in it is true freedom. The mystery of life puts us all on the brink of temptations, and sometimes serious ones. Each of us goes through our own school of life and strives to see and experience everything possible in it. We plunge ourselves into an endless circle of desires, and from gluttony, from dissatisfaction, from lack of understanding, we often become despondent and sometimes despair. Our Heavenly Father knows this and therefore has compassion for us, and therefore with love awaits our return to the Father’s House, from where Satan took us to his wild kingdom.

Execution "Prodigal Son" created a sensation at the Paris Conservatory. The public idol of those years, Charles Gounod, hugged the 22-year-old author, Claude Debussy, with the words: “My friend! You are a genius!"

Listen to Lily's aria from this cantata

It is impossible to imagine Debussy without piano music. The composer himself was a talented pianist (as well as a conductor); “He almost always played in ‘halftones’, without any harshness, but with such fullness and density of sound as Chopin played,” recalled the French pianist M. Long. It was from Chopin's airiness and spatiality of sound of the piano fabric that Debussy started in his coloristic searches. Ancient genres from the Bergamasco Suite and the Suite for Piano (Prelude, Minuet, Passpier, Sarabande, Toccata) represent a unique, “impressionistic” version of neoclassicism. Debussy does not resort to stylization at all, but creates his own image of ancient music, rather an impression of it than a “portrait” of it.

Today, the wonderful St. Petersburg pianist Igor Uryash performed the Piano Suites.

The piano suite “Children's Corner” is dedicated to Debussy’s daughter. The desire to reveal the world in music through the eyes of a child in the images familiar to him - a strict teacher, a doll, a little shepherd, a toy elephant - forces Debussy to widely use both everyday dance and song genres, as well as genres of professional music in a grotesque, caricatured form.

This composition is called "The Snow Is Dancing"

One of the compositions of the "Children's Corner" is called "Doll Cake-Walk".And what is it? Literally this cakewalk, (“walk with pie”) - a black dance to the accompaniment of a banjo, guitar or mandolin with rhythmic patterns characteristic of ragtime: a syncopated rhythm and short unexpected pauses on the downbeats of the bar. The name of the dance was associated with the original custom of rewarding the best dancers with a pie, as well as with the pose of the dancers, as if offering a dish.

Why Debu SS is called the father of 20th century music? The beginning of the century is characterized by an intensified search for new, “exotic” means of musical expression. It seemed to many that classical and romantic themes had exhausted themselves. In search of a new intonation background, a new harmony, composers of the 10s - 30s became interested in music that was formed outside of European culture. These aspirations were in tune with jazz, which opened up unique opportunities for Debussy, Ravel, and the composers of the Six group to enrich the system of musical expressive means. Debussy viewed jazz as an exotic novelty and nothing more, but it was with his light hand that jazz conquered Europe and it became the second homeland of jazz.

The main syncopated motif of the cakewalk is accents on the weak beat; pauses instead of expected tones; violation of expected accents; chords that reproduce the sounds of a banjo; unexpected successive stresses at the end of a short phrase - similar (and other) brightly played moments return the listener to the improvisations of minstrel banjo players [Debussy called his work not “Doll Cakewalk”, as we translate, but “Golliwog's Cakewalk” ). Golliwog is the name of a grotesque black male doll. This nickname was also worn by characters in black minstrel performances. By the way, a minstrel mask is depicted on the cover of the first edition of “Children’s Corner.”

In the last years of the 19th century, the cake, which spun off from the minstrel stage, became a powerful fashion not only on the American continent. It spread in the form of salon dance in Europe, introducing polyrhythmic thinking, which was new for that era, into the musical psychology of modern times. The enormous power of the cakewalk's influence was obviously due to the fact that it turned out to be the bearer of the social psychology of the West, which rejected “Victorianism.” A variety of forms of American everyday music at the turn of the century succumbed to his influence. The rhythm of the cakewalk is found in salon piano pieces, and in variety numbers for traditional instrumental composition, and in marches for a brass band, and sometimes in ballroom dances of European origin. “Even in the waltzes, syncopation appeared, which Waldteufel and Strauss never dreamed of.”

Love ovyu glows composition Debussy "Moonlight". Claude Debussy generally loved the light of the Earth's silvery satellite. He composed better on moonlit nights. Maybe because in his youth, on a moonlit night, he fell in love with the daughter of the Russian millionaire and philanthropist Nadezhda Filaretovna von Meck - the enthusiastic beauty Sonechka?..

Sonya... An unpredictable golden-haired angel... Either she fanatically learned scales, or she sulked, refusing to sit down at the piano. She took Claude for walks, every evening she secretly took Claude to the forest, to the meadows, to the lake. Magic moonlight illuminated the road. Golden-haired Sonya smiled like a mermaid:
- You must teach me everything French - the language and kisses! - and she was the first to kiss Claude.

K. Balmont's poem is very consonant with Debussy's music.

When the moon sparkles in the darkness of the night
With your sickle, brilliant and tender,
My soul yearns for another world,
Captivated by everything distant, everything boundless.

To the forests, to the mountains, to the snow-white peaks
I'm racing in my dreams; as if the spirit is sick,
I am awake over a serene world,
And I cry sweetly and breathe - the moon.

I drink in this pale radiance,
Like an elf, I swing in a grid of rays,
I listen to the silence speak.

The suffering of my dear people is far away,
The whole earth with its struggle is alien to me,
I am a cloud, I am a breath of wind.

Composer N. Ya. Myaskovsky wrote about Debussy’s work: “...In the moments when he (Debussy) undertakes to capture his perception of nature, something incomprehensible happens: a person disappears, as if dissolves or turns into an elusive speck of dust, and reigns over everything as if eternal, changeably unchangeable, pure and quiet, all-consuming nature itself, all these silent, sliding “clouds”, soft play and rise of “playing waves”, rustles and rustles of “spring round dances”, gentle whispers and languid sighs of the wind talking with the sea - Isn’t this the true breath of nature! And isn’t the artist who recreated nature in sounds a great artist, an exceptional poet?”

His works often lack melody in the usual sense; it is narrowed down to a few sounds, sometimes two or three.

IN invoice For Debussy, movement in parallel complexes (intervals, triads, seventh chords) is of great importance. In their movement, such layers form complex polyphonic combinations with other elements of texture. A single harmony, a single vertical arises.

No less original melody And rhythm Debussy. Expanded, closed melodic structures are rarely found in his works - brief themes-impulses and compressed phrases-formulas dominate. The melodic line is economical, restrained and fluid. Devoid of wide leaps and sharp “cries”, it relies on the primordial traditions of French poetic declamation. The qualities corresponding to the general style have been acquired and rhythm- with a constant violation of metric principles, avoidance of clear accents, tempo freedom. Debussy’s rhythm is distinguished by capricious instability, the desire to overcome the power of the bar line, emphasized squareness (although turning to folk-genre thematics, the composer willingly used the characteristic rhythms of the tarantella, habanera, cake-walk, march-processions).

Prelude "The Girl with Flaxen Hair"(Ces-dur) is one of Debussy's most popular works. The emphatically simple piano texture of this charming piece is combined with the freshness of the melodic outlines and harmonic language.

Not an expression of feelings, but a gliding..."

Debussy's only string quartet is the result of experiments with a revolutionary style called impressionism. A distinctive feature of impressionism is a new combination of sounds that seem to exist for their own sake and do not follow or continue with other sounds. The quartet's premiere was unsuccessful, but generations of performers have mastered its extreme technical and musical complexity and audiences can now enjoy a stunning array of textures and effects.

And a few words about the pianist. Igor Uryash is a new name for me. He is about 50 years old. He plays very well.

Igor Uryash — one of the leading pianists in Russia. Member of the ensembles "Neva-trio", "St. Petersburg Chamber Players", "St. Peters-Trio". As a soloist, participant in symphony programs and chamber ensembles, Igor Uryash tours extensively throughout Russia, Western Europe, the Far East, the USA and Canada. He made a number of recordings that received the highest ratings. Igor Uryash successfully collaborated with the outstanding cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, performing with him in duets both in St. Petersburg and on tour. Since 1996, the pianist has been working with the world famous violinist M. Vengerov.

I don't want to say goodbye to Debussy's music.

Debussy is amazing in his uniqueness!.. His music is filled with passion, but not piercing, but bewitching; sparks there miraculously and strangely mix with pieces of ice, and the mystery, flashing for a second with the possibility of a solution, will never be fully revealed...

Suite for piano:

1. "Prelude"
2. "Minuet"
3. “Moonlight” (Clair de lune)
4. Passepied

It is difficult to speak with confidence about " Bergamasco Suite"(The name is obviously not from an ancient Italian dance, but from a term by Verlaine (“...masques et bergamasques..." in “Clair de lune” from the first series of “Fetes galantes.”), since this is a work that originated originally in 1890, it was reworked and completed more than once, receiving its final form only in 1905, in the era of Debussy’s full maturity.

In the first, second and fourth movements of the Bergamasco Suite (“ Prelude», « Minuet" And " Paspier") neoclassical tendencies are strong. The Prelude and Minuet probably had especially many later alterations and additions - these parts most strongly reflect Debussy's later style. Such a collision of old with new makes them somewhat far-fetched. Paspier is more naive and fresh (albeit more verbose, less compact in form), since here Debussy is further away from stylization and uses found impressionist contrasts and spots of color more freely.

But the best part of the suite should, of course, be called the nocturne " Moonlight"(perhaps this is the part that was originally called “Sentimental Walk”). “Moonlight” is one of the most charming inspirations of the tender and fragile romanticism of early Debussy, who still uses harmonic means very carefully, but already finds among them very subtle and refined ones.

The music of this piece undoubtedly contains the image of flowing water (which brings it closer to the play “On a Boat” from the “Little Suite”), but the emotional content is much deeper and more poetic. The “fluidity” of the entire lyrical landscape is amazingly plastic, the form slowly unfolds and closes with rare naturalness and softness. Melos, for all its fluidity, still forms a very noticeable and memorable pattern of large, smooth waves due to sequential repetitions and amplifications of the main chants, as well as due to clear climaxes. Despite the likely later improvements of the play, the early Debussy is everywhere felt with lyrical-romantic accents, which were later lost. Once again a possible prototype of this music comes to mind, both distant and close in its emotional structure - distant in terms of dramatic tension, but close in terms of poetic spirituality. This is the duet of Marina and the Pretender from “

Purpose of the lesson: Expanding and deepening children’s understanding of the visual possibilities of musical art.

Lesson objectives:

1. Development of creative thinking, attention and memory.
2. Comparison and identification of similar and different features in the music of different composers.
3. Mastering the skills of plastic intonation.
4. Consolidating the ability to identify means of musical expression by ear.

Musical material: L. van Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 14 “Moonlight”, C. Debussy “Moonlight”.

Equipment for the lesson:

1. Piano.
2. DVD player. TV or video projector.
3. Portraits of L. Beethoven, G. Guicciardi, C. Debussy.
4. Audio recordings of Beethoven’s “Moonlight” sonata, Debussy’s “Moonlight”.
5. Beethoven L. Piano Sonata No. 14 “Moonlight” – clavier.
6. Colored cards (colored cardboard).

Lesson structure:

1. Organizing time. The main stage of the lesson.
2. Conversation.
3. Listening and analyzing a piece of music (“Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven).
4. Plastic intonation.
5. Listening and analyzing a piece of music (“Moonlight” by C. Debussy).
6. Watching a video on music by Debussy, analysis, comparison.
7. Drawing up a color palette of lunar colors (application).
8. Lesson summary. Generalization and consolidation of acquired knowledge.

During the classes

1.

Teacher: (application: presentation - slide No. 2).

Plunging into a deep sleep, the soul
I will let you go into the open space of the night, -
Fly over the sea and over the land,
Over the desert and in the dense forest.
The night covered the earth with a blanket
Dreams, fantasies, fairy tales and dreams...
The stars and the moon look tired,
Protecting peace, tranquility and dreams.

It was no coincidence that I started our lesson today with poetry, since it will be dedicated to the most mysterious, romantic, fabulous and poetic time of day. The heroine of our lesson is a beautiful and bewitching night luminary, the queen of the night is Her Majesty the Moon. We will call our lesson “Moon Melody”, because today we will hear works by composers from different eras and countries, but all these works are dedicated to the moon.

2.

To begin with, I suggest you play associations. What thoughts, emotions, experiences do you experience when hearing the words Night, Moon? What associations do you have with these concepts?

Children's answers.

(Next on the presentation slide (attachment: presentation – slide number 3) words appear that can be associated with the night landscape: “mystery”, “romance”, “danger”, “fear”, “fantasy”, “coldness”, “magic”, “loneliness”, “mystery”, “fun”, “light”, “joy”, “cheerfulness”, etc. Invite the children to choose the appropriate words).

Summarizing the children's answers and the words on the cards.

Teacher: Different people perceive the moon and night in different ways: for some it is a time of danger, anxiety and loneliness, and for others it is the most romantic time of the day, when poets write poetry, magic happens, lovers meet.

Many artists, musicians, and poets dedicated their creations to the moon. Now we will go on a musical journey and hear the music of the great German composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

(Attachment: presentation – slide number 4)

Teacher: Look at the portrait of the composer. What do you think is the character of the person depicted in the portrait? What kind of life did he live?

Children's answers.

Teacher: in Beethoven’s gaze we feel severity, severity. Before us is a man of unbending fortitude, strength of character, because the composer’s whole life was an endless struggle with fate, with a serious illness from which he suffered from the age of 25. It was deafness. For a composer, losing his hearing is a death sentence, the end of his creative journey!.. But not for Beethoven: with his works, he again and again proved to humanity that he would not submit to his illness, his fate.

Beethoven was born in Germany, in the small city of Bonn. At about 20 years old, he moved to Vienna, the capital of Austria. Where he lives until the end of his days. In Vienna, he met a beautiful young girl, 16-year-old Giulietta Guicciardi. Beethoven fell in love with this beauty (attachment: presentation – slide number 5), and this, of course, flattered young Juliet. Beethoven immortalized the name of his beloved by dedicating to her one of his most famous works - Piano Sonata No. 14, which was called “Moonlight”. “Moonlight Sonata” is the composer’s reflections alone with nature, where he reveals his feelings for Juliet Guicciardi. Before listening, questions aimed at comprehension: A) The nature of the music, images. What mood is conveyed in the music? (Attachment: presentation – B) Did Juliet love Beethoven? How did their relationship develop?) slide number 6 Winter evening decorated the windows, The sky split into snowflakes. Moonlight, like music, is beautiful He went down to the frozen houses. And the “Moonlight Sonata” sounded, It’s like a bright angel has arrived... Ludwig Van Beethoven himself once Sitting at the cold window: It was the same dark winter evening, Maybe the fluffy cat was sleeping nearby. And, throwing a warm blanket over my shoulders, The composer wrote the music. The sky was filled with stars, like diamonds, Moonlight - Bohemian glass, And the houses are covered in snowflakes, as if in rhinestones,

And the wine sparkled in the crystal.

Listening to “Moonlight Sonata” in audio recording.

Children's answers to questions posed before listening. The teacher's summary of what the children said.

3. Plastic intonation.

The teacher performs the initial period of the “Moonlight” sonata on the piano.” Next there is a conversation about the nature of the accompaniment (3 rising notes, reminiscent of the movement of waves) and about the features of the melodic line (the theme at the height of one note, performed in a dotted rhythm, gives the music a masculine character, but with a tinge of despair). Children are invited to convey the features of the pattern of melody and harmony through plastic movements. For this purpose, children are divided into 3 groups: “harmony” and “melody” and “bass voice”.

With smooth hand movements, similar to the movements of waves, he reproduces the ascending direction of arpeggio sounds in the air. In the process of “intonation,” the exact correspondence of hand movements and harmony sounds and the expressiveness of gestures are assessed.

Melody group:

With a gathered palm at the same height, he “intonates” the sounds of a melodic voice. Accurate reproduction of dotted rhythm and expressiveness of gestures are assessed.

“Bass” group: downward, smooth movements of the hands, as if “plunging” into depth.

4.

Teacher: So, our musical journey along the “lunar path” continues. This time we go to France at the beginning of the twentieth century.

At this time, a new direction in painting with a very beautiful but complex name began to spread throughout Europe - IMPRESSIONISM. (Attachment: presentation – slide number 7). Paintings by impressionist artists - Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir and others (Attachment: presentation – slides No. 8, 9, 10) – were full of bright colors and light; Artists always painted their paintings outdoors, in the lap of nature, so we seem to feel the blowing of the wind, the swaying of tree leaves, the beating of warm air, the riot of colors of nature.

You may ask, how is impressionism in painting connected with music and, moreover, with the moon? In our previous lessons, we talked more than once about the fact that all types of art are interconnected, that painting, architecture, poetry and music have a lot in common! So, impressionism originated in painting, and also manifested itself in music. One of the impressionist composers was a Frenchman (Attachment: presentation – slide number 11). Debussy liked to give very poetic, “picturesque” titles to his musical works: “Footprints in the Snow,” “Fallen Leaves,” “The Sea: From Dawn to Noon.” Indeed, it’s as if this is not a piece of music, but a painting painted not with colors, but with sounds! Note that many of Debussy's works involve paintings of nature.

Today we will hear and even see one of the works of C. Debussy. It, just like Beethoven’s sonata, is dedicated to the night. The title of the work is “Moonlight”.

Before listening, questions aimed at comprehension:

1. Which instrument is the soloist in this piece?
2. Character, mood of the music (gentle, calm, peaceful, serene)

Listening to an audio recording of “Moonlight” by Debussy (arranged for harp).

Children's answers to questions posed earlier. There is a conversation about the harp and the correspondence of its timbre to the music of C. Debussy. (Attachment: presentation – slide number 12)

5.

Teacher: We will combine our second listening with watching a video to Debussy’s music.

Your task is to completely immerse yourself in the music and enjoy its sound. And the most attentive guys will probably hear some difference between the first and second version (in the video, arrangement for piano). Imagine that you are an impressionist artist. In front of you is a palette of paints. You want to draw a night landscape with reflections of moonlight on the surface of the sea, on the leaves of trees, etc. Your painting will become an illustration of the music you are about to hear. What colors will dominate in your painting?

Watch a video to music by C. Debussy (arrangement for piano). (A video clip to the music “Moonlight” by Debussy is presented in the author’s video tutorial “The Magic Screen”). Video options can be selected by following the link

http://video.yandex.ru/search.xml?text=%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B9+%D1%81%D0%B2%D0 %B5%D1%82+%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%B1%D1%8E%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8

Children's answers.

6.

Teacher, summing up the children's answers:

Debussy’s light music also determines the color scheme of the illustrations for “Moonlight” – muted tones, shades of silver and yellow. The video fills us with peace and tranquility. There is no place for passions or drama of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”.

7.

Drawing up a color palette. Children are given multi-colored cards. Task: choose colors that could be used to illustrate Debussy's music. You need to make a small composition from the selected cards.

Children's answers with explanations and stories about their composition.

8.

We listened to two works with essentially the same title by two composers from different eras, countries, and artistic movements. It’s amazing how differently composers perceive the same natural phenomena, seasons, times of day! Everyone puts their own meaning, their own content into music, based on their life experience and character. I'm sure your moon themed creations will also be different from each other. Our walk “under the moon” is coming to an end, and I would like to check how you remember the new material (quick survey on the topic covered: presentation – slide number 13):

1. What was Beethoven's name?
2. What century did he live in?
3. What country did he live in?
4. What illness did Beethoven suffer from?
5. What is the name of Sonata No. 14?
6. Who is it dedicated to?
7. What was Debussy's name?
8. What century did he live in?
9. What country did he live in?
10. What artistic movement does he represent?
11. How is “impressionism” translated?
12. Which piece did you like best?

Homework: Make an applique “Moonlight” from colored cards.

The series Moonlight Detective Agency aired in 1985 on ABC. The title is a play on words. Moonlighting is not only moonlight itself, but also in the jargon - “part-time job”, “hack job”.

It wouldn't have happened without the moon either.

Full version of the song from the series intro

The creator of the series, Glenn Gordon Keron, learned from the channel's management that the new show would be a detective story. “Oh yes, another detective that the American audience is missing,” said Caron. However, no one paid attention to his opinion. After some time, they finally managed to agree on creating a “romantic line” in the story.

The main characters of the series David and Maddie

Caron cites William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew as the main source of inspiration for the plot. Actually, the “Atomic Shakespeare” series is a direct parody of the classic work, a real costume adaptation.

Parody series “Atomic Shakespeare”

Parody and grotesquerie became signature features of the series' scripts. There are many elements here that could be classified as “surreal.” Actors often break the fourth wall. They address the audience from the screen, discuss their characters, the actions written in the script, and discuss the plot. In one of the episodes, before it starts, the performers of the main characters discuss the timing of the footage, thereby trying to “pull” time.

Heroes address the audience

Orson Welles himself recorded an address to the audience before the episode “The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice”. This was his last filming on television. He will die in a week.

Orson Welles previews the episode

Orson Welles appears in the series in person

The series was experimental in nature, part of it was stylized as a black and white film. Moreover, it was the most expensive episode filmed on television at that time. Its budget was $2 million. Film noir, thriller, comedy and television shows were all genres parodied in the series. They even planned to film a Western episode, but the idea was never realized. Such stylizations became a hallmark of the series. The viewer never knew how the plot would develop further.

Series “The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice”

The actors could emerge from the mise-en-scène onto the set, showing the underside of the series' set. The narrative may include the process of casting actors for one of the roles. And in an episode that ends with a writers' strike, the actors are forced to come up with their own text on the fly.

Self-irony is the main trump card of the series

Filming the series “Moonlight Detective Agency” was very difficult

The filming of the series was not cloudless. The characters of the main characters made themselves felt, and the process itself was very difficult. Often the creators simply did not have time to film the episode in time. They had several options: include elements of the main characters' memories into the plot (read: show fragments of past episodes) or simply delay the airing. The latter happened so often that a promotional video was aired that showed the producers waiting for the new episode. However, this was the most elegant way out of the situation.

The series became an iconic show of the 80s

In 1986, an episode of the series was announced with elements in 3D format. The sponsor of the project was the Coca Cola company. The viewing glasses (40 million pairs were made) were to be distributed through the periodical press. But due to the writers' strike, the episode was never produced.

Cover of the 3D series press kit

3D series press kit spread

Whoopi Goldberg, Pierce Brosnan, Bruce Willis's wife Demi Moore - this is not a complete list of “guest stars” who starred in the series. They could be themselves or play some role. For example, Rocky Balboa once appeared in the series. But the most unexpected guest on the show was definitely Timothy Leary.

Timothy Leary starred in an episode of Moonlight Detective Agency

The series was canceled due to declining ratings. Their reason was considered to be the resolution and completion of the main romantic line. But it is worth noting that there were more compelling reasons. Cybill Shepherd's pregnancy, Bruce Willis's film career and their tense relationship on the set played a role. Not long ago there was a rumor about a possible film version of the series. Whether the modern film industry will accommodate such freedom of expression is still a question.

The show was popular with viewers. And it has earned the love and recognition of professionals. Thus, one of the episodes of the animated series “Alvin and the Chipmunks” parodies the style of the “Moonlight Detective Agency”.

Fragment of the episode "Dreamlighting" of the TV series "Alvin and the Chipmunks"

The Indian television series One Plus One, released in 1997, is an unofficial parody of Moonlight Detective Agency.

Fashion designer Igor Chapurin presents a collection inspired by the series

The collection of domestic designer Igor Chapurin “Spring-Summer 2017” was inspired by the aesthetics of the 80s and was dedicated to the famous TV series. It was called “Moonlighting”.