The following contains excerpts from the book, The Life of Debussy – Roger Nichols.
“For more than a century now, performers, writers and analysts have been peeling away the layers of the onion that is Debussy. I think it is some measure of his greatness that the more we peel, the more we find.” The author seeks to uncover the motivation and depth of not only Debussy’s work, but Debussy as a man.
Claude Debussy, crossing the line from the 19th Century into the 20th Century, in my estimation, could arguably be considered the first (if not one of the first) Modernist composers. His influence on 20th Century composition can be seen echoing through Stravinsky, Messiaen, and Boulez. The French line of Modernist compositional tradition, I believe, begins with Debussy.
At our music school in Midland, Texas we teach students the value of studying great composers from the past in all areas of music history.
Following are the main points in the book:
- In the beginning of Debussy’s life and career, the French musical life could be rated as one of its low-points. Much of the music was aimed at frivolous theater and dance, without much substance. Debussy’s high idealism for what music could become, ultimately set him apart from the rest of his culture. He would not allow himself, even to the point of lacking income and ill health, to write for the sole purpose of making a living.
- He aspired to become a concert-pianist, as a young musician, and entered the Paris Conservatoire at age 10. As he grew, he did play well and constantly; however, he did not feel ‘at home’ on the stage. He gravitated towards composition through his teenage years.
We endeavor, at our music school in Midland, Texas to help students gain an awareness of their unique strengths and hope to help them maximize their talents and abilities in these areas.
- His education included a thorough study of the German masters, Bach especially. Early in his development, he held Wagner in high esteem. One particular concert had an enormous effect on him, which he heard in Rome. “I went to two masses, one by Palestrina, the other by Orlando de Lassus, in a church called the Anima…I’m truly amazed at the effects they can get simply from a vast knowledge of counterpoint.” I find it fascinating, that while Debussy was influenced in this way, his own music is in quite a different direction from what one would consider contrapuntal. It is rather built from a sense of texture and emotional gesture.
The study of J.S. Bach is one of the foundational elements upon which we have our students base their ongoing learning at our music school in Midland, Texas.
- Debussy’s personal life was driven, it seems, by passion and romance, always seeking and searching for beauty. As a young man who had just won the Prix de Rome composition competition, a wealthy benefactor provided money for him to live on while in Rome. Prior to leaving for Rome, Debussy was actually having an affair with his benefactor’s wife. Debussy later married another woman, only to leave her for his mistress. Even as he aged, apparently “Rumour had it that no pretty girl within 100 metres was safe from him.” However, Debussy had a greater fidelity to music. “The moral dimension in Debussy’s character is impossible to miss…this did not make Debussy particularly kind or tolerant, either in his judgements of others or in what he demanded of himself…On many fronts, he was a deeply divided composer…Debussy’s music is imbued with a feeling of transience…reluctance to engage with what the material world calls ‘reality’ was something that all the women in Debussy’s life had to try and accept, with greater or lesser success…one of the things which undoubtedly attracted women to him was his playfulness: examples of it abound in his music.”
At our music school in Midland, Texas we help our students learn to connect with their own emotions and life-experiences to bring forth their art with authenticity.
- I was surprised at the musical ‘crossing of paths’ in Debussy’s career. I was unaware that he had met Stravinsky and studied Petrushka in depth. He also was contemporary with Lili Boulanger (sister of Nadia Boulanger). He was influential to Paul Dukas, and was good friends with Ernest Chausson and Erik Satie. He knew Edgard Varese, and Eugene Ysaye.
The study of the French Impressionists is encouraged at our music school in Midland, Texas and much can be gleaned from this area of music history and applied to today’s composition and performance.
I was unaware of how much my musical development has been influenced by the Franco-Belgian tradition. My violin training, through Ivan Galamian and his students, was directly connected to the Paris Conservatoire. Nadia Boulanger even mentions Galamian in his biography, and thought highly of his work. Stravinsky, Messiaen, Copeland, Bernstein, and Boulez all were deeply influenced by Nadia Boulanger. Juilliard’s composition and theory departments were deeply influenced by the French tradition. I guess I just now became aware of this through reading this book. I would like to delve more deeply into Nadia Boulanger’s teaching methodologies in my future studies. Debussy, apparently had a rich training from the Paris Conservatoire in ear-training and solfege with Albert Lavignac. This is probably a good place to look for the history of this kind of training.
Debussy was an artist’s artist, and I think it is important for an artist to maintain an awareness of the emotionalism that empowers his creativity, making sure that it remains productive and not destructive. In some ways, Debussy was controlled by the emotion that gave him his greatest creativity, which became destructive in a number of ways in his own personal life.
At our music school in Midland, Texas we are interested not only in teaching students music, but also life-skills and ethical disciplines that extend into any career direction they choose to pursue.