Debussy: The Form That Has Arrived at Itself
Debussy: The Form That Has Arrived at Itself
This chapter presents and studies Debussy’s definition of music, according to which, music, in its essence, “consists of colors and rhythmicized time.” The “colors” may be taken to refer to the depth expressed through harmony and timbre. On the other hand, “rhythmicized time” cannot simply refer to the use of musical meter, as the sense of rhythmic pulse in the Prelude is less that of a metronome than of a shifting beam of light. The concept of “rhythmicized time” transcends simple durational measurement between two notes or two harmonies and operates across multiple layers. The precise divisions of the musical form in the Prelude remain a subject of debate among contemporary music theorists.
Keywords: music, debussy, colors, rhythmicized time, harmony, timbre, musical meter, metronome, musical form, music theorists
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