How Symbolism art influenced on Debussy's music - Essay Example

How Symbolism Art Influenced Debussy’s Music French composer Claude-Achille Debussy was one ofthe most prominent figures whose exquisite style became influential in the world impressionist music, though Debussy himself expressed preference that it be not applied to his works. Being among the most important of all French composers, and a leading figure in European music at the turn of the 20th century, Debussy was further acclaimed in 1903 becoming a ‘Chevalier’ and from here on, the vivid character of his music was even noted for the sensory element which frequently did not execute on merely a single pitch or key.

Having had a number of romantic affairs which caused turbulence in his life reflected upon his creations and further dissatisfactions with original style led Debussy to adapt ‘symbolism’ or that which pertains to transitional period between late-Romantic and modernist music of the 20th century. Apparently, symbolism is not only confined to the definition of musical style, rather a movement which brought immense inspiration for Debussy to modify his compositions according to a ‘symbolist’ principle.

In effect, symbolism became a culture that emerged for him to have profound involvement with and his choices of ‘libretti’ texts and themes had been derived almost exclusively from the symbolist canon. Among the distinguished artists of the period who bore ample aesthetic impact on Debussy’s masterpieces were Edgar Allan Poe, Stephane Mallarme, and James McNeill Whistler. Through them, Debussy managed to effectively utilized dissonant harmonies to evoke specific moods and images such as in the manner he composed the world-renowned ‘Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune’ which was chiefly inspired by Mallarme’s poem ‘Afternoon of a Faun’.

Mallarme evidently had been able to establish intimate connections between music and poetry that it created a significant challenge for Debussy to explore the poetic essence of rhythmic endeavor, enabling him to arrange settings of ‘Cinq poemes de Baudelaire’ including various art songs in reference to poems by yet another artist, Verlaine. Historical accounts also kept records of unfinished operatic sketches by Debussy which primarily illustrated two of Edgar Allan Poe’s stories ‘The Devil in the Belfry’ and ‘The Fall of the House of Usher.

’ These works additionally influenced some of his other unpublished libretti for operas though certain scholars claimed that Poe's influence was felt more deeply in Andre Caplet's ‘Conte Fantastique’ for harp and strings which served as the musical version of Poe’s ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ and ‘The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym.’ Andre Caplet himself helped Debussy with the orchestration of ‘Gigues’. In the similar manner, Debussy revered contemporary painter James McNeill Whistler on learning proper descriptions for his music in part.

Whistler’s paintings, to a certain extent, reflected in Claude’s musical pieces through the latter’s orchestral, textural, and harmonic 'shading' as in his creation of the ‘Nocturnes’. Works Cited “Claude Debussy.” 31 May 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Debussy. 15 June 2011. “Symbolism (Arts).” 11 June 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolism_%28arts%29. 16 June 2011. “Edgar Allan Poe and Music.” 12 June 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe_and_music.

15 June 2011.