Background: Debussy composed in a time where many were trying to diverge from Classicism. The period before Debussy was Romanticism, a period that, too, revolted against Classicism, however, to make no real, significant changes. Composers still wrote in Sonata form, with four bar motives, and resolving dissonance.
"Romantic: a label that to my mind has no significance. The language of Schumann, Berlioz, and Liszt is the classical language. I hear in them all the same kind of music." --Claude Debussy.
Essentially, they wrote with the same aesthetics, or musical language, as Debussy put it. He, having learned all of classical music, ten years at the Paris Conservatoire, disliked all of it, questioned all of Classicism's dogma. He didn't believe music was anything his teachers said it was. Due to this thinking, Debussy changed classical music, and now, many study his mind and music to understand why and how.
Need: The need to study Debussy's mind and music is to unveil and understand this enigmatic and revolutionary composer. This, sense he led a somewhat secluded and secretive life, is quite difficult and has been pursued since before he died.
Purpose: Debussy accomplished something different. Yet the inter-workings of this accomplishment remains shrouded and misty. The purpose of my work is to remove the veil of dust and mist around his mind and music.
Structure: This work will be structured mainly in two parts: The psychology and life of Debussy that resulted in his philosophy and view on music as well as the technical, compositional, and the musically theoretical side of him.
What happened to the broader focus on the relationship between creativity and conformity? Will you include others (Stravinsky, e.g.) who challenged the status quo?
ReplyDeleteI hadn't Thought on that enough, yet, to include it in the abstract. But I am continuing my thinking on it and will revise this to include it. When we first brought it up I didn't like it that much because I didn't want to stray away from Debussy himself. But, now I think pondering on the idea of the relationship between creativity and conformity will be interesting. I want to include it while the majority of the research focusses exclusively on Debussy. I do, though, when pondering the relationship, want to branch out, even into painting, and consider the relationship in all of time. I think that would be really cool. If that is too broad I will definitely enjoy finding out how much of Debussy's creativity was driven by non-conformity.
ReplyDelete-Trevor