Chopin and Debussy
Posted by: mikeeschman on 03 January 2010
Debussy won two medals for playing Chopin, and edited a complete edition of Chopin's music. Outside of this, I can find no direct linkage between them, although many feel Debussy is Chopin's successor.
They both wrote sets of preludes and etudes.
Does anyone know of anything else that links these two composers?
They both wrote sets of preludes and etudes.
Does anyone know of anything else that links these two composers?
A couple of my own observations;
Both Chopin and Debussy were superb improvisers. I think, in some ways, although their harmonic language was different, their musical ideals were quite similar.
They both had the piano central to their compositional output. They both composed with images/stories in mind (more obvious in Debussy i.e. titling). They both had some Spanish/Latin American influences - some of the Chopin Preludes have a distinctly Spanish feel, well, Maltese! Of course, Chopin spent most of his life in and around France, thus establishing his own style within the Country. Debussy's piano teacher was a peer of Alkan. In fact, Alkan lived opposite Chopin, and when Chopin died, he had left instructions for his students to continue their studies with Alkan. From this, we can deduce that Chopin, and his music, was at the hight of popularity when Debussy was a student.
However linked they may be, there are distinct differences. Due to the Impressionist movement in art, Debussy (and others) were writing in correlation to the Art world. Chopin was not as involved in such a movement. Debussy was travelling away from specific tonal centres (in an intelligent way) - the use of more 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, 13ths, etc. in the textures was, no doubt, semi-related to the world of Jazz, which was beginning to spread around the same time Debussy was flourishing.
This, as a whole, is a very interesting topic, and sadly, not one that I know a great deal about (ashamed!). I'll ad more when I've got my head out the books!
Both Chopin and Debussy were superb improvisers. I think, in some ways, although their harmonic language was different, their musical ideals were quite similar.
They both had the piano central to their compositional output. They both composed with images/stories in mind (more obvious in Debussy i.e. titling). They both had some Spanish/Latin American influences - some of the Chopin Preludes have a distinctly Spanish feel, well, Maltese! Of course, Chopin spent most of his life in and around France, thus establishing his own style within the Country. Debussy's piano teacher was a peer of Alkan. In fact, Alkan lived opposite Chopin, and when Chopin died, he had left instructions for his students to continue their studies with Alkan. From this, we can deduce that Chopin, and his music, was at the hight of popularity when Debussy was a student.
However linked they may be, there are distinct differences. Due to the Impressionist movement in art, Debussy (and others) were writing in correlation to the Art world. Chopin was not as involved in such a movement. Debussy was travelling away from specific tonal centres (in an intelligent way) - the use of more 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, 13ths, etc. in the textures was, no doubt, semi-related to the world of Jazz, which was beginning to spread around the same time Debussy was flourishing.
This, as a whole, is a very interesting topic, and sadly, not one that I know a great deal about (ashamed!). I'll ad more when I've got my head out the books!