feb 1, 1909 - Voiles

Description:

a composition by Claude Debussy for solo piano.

Voiles: Sails and/or Veils
1. Debussy’s “Voiles” demonstrates his harmonic idiom.
a. His preludes derive from Chopin’s.
b. “Voiles” can mean either “veils” or “masks” or “sails” or “sailboats.”
2. The whole-scale serves as an organizing factor through most of the work.
a. As such, everything exists in equal proportion—without tension.
b. A pentatonic scale within the work provides structure and contrast.

Impressionism and Symbolism
1. Aspects of “Voiles” correspond to painting techniques.
2. These adjectives are associated with Impressionism.
3. Debussy disliked being called Impressionist.
4. The absence of a harmonic push forward can be likened to an artwork that extends in space rather than unfolds in time.
5. Debussy’s “Voiles” can also be compared to the French poetry movement known as Symbolism, associated with Baudelaire.

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