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Debussy Faun Analysis Assignment

The document provides instructions for analyzing Claude Debussy's Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun". Students are asked to annotate the piano score by marking articulation points and labeling important pitches in the melody and bass line. They are also to summarize different analyses of the piece's form, including views that it resembles sonata form or is in ABA' structure. The analysis focuses on Debussy's use of tonality, rhythm, and how the orchestration relates to the form. The piece is inspired by Stéphane Mallarmé's poem of the same name but takes liberties with the source text.

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Josue Medellin
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359 views4 pages

Debussy Faun Analysis Assignment

The document provides instructions for analyzing Claude Debussy's Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun". Students are asked to annotate the piano score by marking articulation points and labeling important pitches in the melody and bass line. They are also to summarize different analyses of the piece's form, including views that it resembles sonata form or is in ABA' structure. The analysis focuses on Debussy's use of tonality, rhythm, and how the orchestration relates to the form. The piece is inspired by Stéphane Mallarmé's poem of the same name but takes liberties with the source text.

Uploaded by

Josue Medellin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Debussy: Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun” Analysis Assignment

The large majority of this assignment will involve unpacking the insights in William
A. Ausin’s excellent article from the Norton Critical score, “Towards an Analytical
Appreciation.” The finished product will be an annotated piano score with an
accompanying written document.

1) Mark the five articulation points mentioned on the piano score.


mm.30-31, 37, 55, 79, and 94.
2) Summarize the various interpretations of the form given in the text.
One way of analyzing the piece is as Denijs Dille’s A (m.1-36), B1 (m.37-54), B2
(m.55-78), A’ (m.79-110) form.
Jean Barraqué views it as resembling a combination of sonata and song form. First
part is the exposition, a contrasting middle section, and a recapitulation starting on
m. 94.
Ernst Decsey sees the form as AA’B, the B being subdivated into aa’b.
William A. Austin analyzes the piece as ABA’. A (m. 1-54), B (mm.55-78) and A’
(mm. 79-110).
3) Summarize William A. Austin’s reading of the form as a series of transformations
of the initial melodic idea.
Austin argues that the principal theme is being transformed on m.55. Here is when
section B begins. At the same time, two other motif play an important role. One is
the “flowing motif” consisting of flowing triplets (mm. 24, 28, 68, 73, 96). The other
motif is the “syncopated motif” consisting of the same syncopated rhythm and
intervals.
4) Label the prominent appearances of the pitches C#, A# and G in the melody and
bass line that are mentioned in the text. Provide a summary of William Austin’s
discussion of these passages.
“Debussy’s notes are in precise relations to each other, ambiguous relations that
suggest more than they make clear or emphatic.” The C# is the first note of the entire
piece. It is the first note of the theme as well. At the beginning it has no
accompaniment, but on m. 11 it becomes the M7 of a D major chord. It comes back
on m. 21 as the added 6th in a E major chord. In m. 26 it adds color to the e minor
chord, functioning as a 13th degree. In m. 37 it appears in a new melodic idea over a
B major chord. It reappears in the main theme on m. 94, again as an added 6 th over
an E major chord. On mm. 31-33 it is found in the bass note. Measure 46 introduces
the enharmonic note Db, which in m. 55 becomes the new key. The modulation to
Db on m. 55 reinforces the importance of this pitch.
A# is the other important note and it is found in the main theme as well. It is under
this note where we find harmony for the first time in the piece, m.4. This A# half-
diminished chord becomes very important as it comes back in the very last section,
mm. 108 and 109. This pitch also give the piece a sense of ambiguity since it is not
part of the key signature. In the first measures, the A# half-diminished chord moves
into its enharmonic Bb but in the form of a major-dominant chord, Bb7. For most of
the middle section, the A# disappears. Until mm.77 and 78 it come backs in the
violin solo as a Bb in the key of Db major. It is not until measure 100 when the A#
returns as a protagonist. Especially on m. 103, the Bb gives a new color by being the
minor 7th of C major as we are in the key of E major.
Finally, the note G is the other important note. It is the lowest note of the first phrase
and it is outside the key of the home key, E major. As the note A#, the note G gives
ambiguity to the harmonic movement of the piece, especially as it suggests the
whole-tone scale in sections like mm. 32-33 and 35-36. It appears in the melody on
m. 23, but it is more obvious on m.31 when it appears in the clarinet melody. In
measures 31-33, the pitches C# and G become the bass notes, a triton apart, giving
this section a sense of instability and whole-tone scale sound. On measure 55 the G
comes back as the major 7th on an Ab chord. On mm.55-58 the duet between C# and
G in the bass returns but now in the key of Db. Mm. 64 and 66 contain the G bass
and the whole-tone scale color once again. Measures 79 and 86 feature a first
inversion major chord. The first is a E/G# and the second is a Eb/G. Lastly, the G
note is found in the C dominant chord in m. 103.
5) Find each entry of the main melodic idea (initially stated in mm. 1-2) and all of its
transformations. Using chord symbols (CM7, D9#11, etc.) List the two chords that
are used to harmonize the melody in each case. You can use the bass line analysis on
page 83 to assist you.

6) Label the appearances of whole tone scales and chords in the piece.

7) Using the bass line analysis and the discussion in the text, discuss Debussy’s use
of tonality in the piece. What keys are hinted at in the initial flute melody? What
pitch areas are emphasized at the five major arrival points? In what tonality does the
piece end?
The beginning is very ambiguous, it can be said it is in E, C#, or no particular key.
The key signature is E major. Four sharps, and the piece ends in E major, a clear hint
that this is somehow a tonal center. Section B is clearly in Db major.
Measure 30 seems to arrive to B major. Measure 37 contains a B9 resolving to E
major on m. 39. Measure 55 is clearly in Db major. Measure 79 returns to E major.
Measure 94 can feel like E mixolydian or going to A major.
8) Briefly summarize Austin’s discussion of the relationship of the orchestration to
the form.
The harp features different techniques. The usual broken chord arpeggios, single
note plucking, harmonics, and glissandos. Debussy wrote two harp parts since it
could be impossible to retune the notes to play different chords simultaneously.
Nevertheless, contemporary harpists can easily retune some of the notes, although
they would omit some of the notes from what Debussy originally intended.
The horns also play an important role in the texture of Debussy’s sound. They
feature a far distance and shadowy sound to blend with the strings. When having
the melody, they become freer without using too much swelling.
The strings serve as accompaniment for the majority of the piece, sometimes passing
this role to the woodwinds. Some of the techniques used in the faun are tremolos
over the fingerboard and spiccato repeated notes.
Debussy uses antique cymbals which blend perfectly with the other instruments,
although it can be replace by glockenspiel if not available.
They are featured more as soloists than the strings. Even at some parts they must
play as chamber musicians rather than orchestra players because of the reliance
between the players themselves to play together and in tune. Especially when they
play unison.
The clarinetist has the opportunity to explore the expanse range of colors. It features
an unaccompanied section to play free and expressively. It features the “throat”
register of the instrument in a long and sustained note, a not very safe way to use
this part of the register.
Definitely, the flute is the star of the piece, the instrument of the faun. By this time, it
has not been featured in this type of character, a sultry and mysterious one. Thanks
to players like Claude-Paul Taffanel, this new sound was able to be achieved.
9) Briefly summarize Austin’s discussion of Debussy’s use of rhythm in the piece.
The rhythm is perhaps obscured by the complex harmonies. By itself, it would feel
like not having direction. The rhythm strength does not come from strong beats but
from a sense of continuity. The piece features many different time signatures, but
especially in beats of threes: 9/8, 6/8, 12/8, ¾. The 4/4 is featured in a lesser scale. The
groups of threes are also very important. For example the triplets in the main theme,
the last three sixteenth notes in the first measure, the flowing theme discussed in the
article, and the eight-notes overall in the 9/8, 6/8 and 12/8 time signatures. In
phrasing, melodies usually begin on the downbeat and lift on the upbeat, unsual in
German and Italian composers of that time.
10) What is the relationship between Debussy’s music and Mallarmé’s poem?

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