Timelessness in French Music: Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande and Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Loading...
Authors
Bartnick, Natalie O.
Issue Date
2016
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Musicologists have long commented on an absence of progression in much of French music at the end of the nineteenth century, or fin de siècle. Throughout this thesis, I will be referring to this as “timelessness” or “stasis.” During the fin de siècle, France, as well as much of Europe, was going through a period of rapid change due in part to the international standardization of time and the fallout from the Franco-Prussian war. Artists were grappling with these changes through their art, from literature to music. This thesis will explore the concept of timelessness in French music during this period by looking at two works by Claude Debussy, one of the most well-known composers of the time as well as a lover of symbolist literature. His opera Pelléas et Mélisande and his ballet Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune will be analyzed within the contexts of two particular story-telling modes, and can be understood as a reaction against German music where teleological, or goal-oriented, musical processes like tonal harmony dominated music. These collaborative works with Maurice Maeterlinck and Stéphane Mallarmé can be seen as reactions to the various disruptions of French culture, which can give scholars a deeper look into the relationship between art and society.
Description
The University of Nevada, Reno Libraries will promptly respond to removal requests related to content that violates intellectual property laws, data protections, or has been uploaded without creator consent. Takedown notices should be directed to our ScholarWolf team (scholarwolf@library.unr.edu) with information about the object, including its full URL and the nature of your complaint.
Citation
Publisher
License
In Copyright