Clair de Lune
Composer: Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
Title: Clair De Lune
Date: 1905
Era: Impressionism
Descriptions/Details: Clair De Lune (French for Moonlight) is the third segment in Suite Bergamasque. This piece is from the Impressionism and is based on a poem by Paul Verlaine.
Scores and Editions:
First Edition: https://s9.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usimg/a/a0/IMSLP02907-Debussy-L075.pdf
Other Editions: https://kupdf.net/download/14667580-claude-debussy-clair-de-lune-sheet-music_59e99df308bbc5de67e653c1_pdf
Structure:
Form: Ternary Form
Sections: Intro, A, Transition, B, AI
Bars Section Key
1-26 Intro Db Major
Features
In the beginning of the piece there’s something about this downward motion in the melody (one step at a time) that makes this piece super satisfying in terms of the overlaping dissonances.
From Bar 15 we see a lot of dissonances stacked up which starts to resolve in the repeated pattern of chords and above that adding rubato in this area makes it kind of an emotional gesture.
From bar 19 the bass starts to go up unlike before, it was going down and down. Also the bass has a very important role in this, it acts as a secret indication for a pedal change as well as a pedal point to wich all the notes reacts.
Since Bar 15, Debussy was looking forward to build a sort of energy in his composition and suddenly introduced these lovely harp chords at Bar 25 as shown below:
This section also serves as a Transition area to enter into the Section A.
Bars Section Key
27- 50 A Modulates to Enharmonic Minor from Bar (37-42)
Features
Entering into the Section A, we observe a small motif at Bar 27 from the main melody and the technicality of the left hand starts with a long chain of arpeggios.
The most beautiful thing at the entrance of section A is the Mediant Chord (here Fb Major) in bar 27, 7th beat.
Also, the piece Modulates to the Enharmonic Minor of the home key at Bar 37 and returns back to its original key at Bar 42.
Also, the piece Modulates to the Enharmonic Minor of the home key at Bar 37 and returns back to its original key at Bar 42.
At Bar 43-44 we see Tremolo in action.
From Bar 49-50 we again encounter these lovely Harp Chords; an area of Transition to enter the 3rd and the Final Section of this piece.
Bars Section Key
37- 42 Transition C# minor
Features
En Animant: Transition from A-B
Bars Section Key
43-50 B Calmato
Features
Bars Section Key
51-72 AI Db Major
Features
The Final Section sees a return to the opening theme, the A Section but it’s not an exact replica as the arpeggiated fragments we see here are different, indicating for a F Minor Harmony thus giving an emotional twist here.
Interesting Features
There is a section in the middle of the piece that has colors going from light to dark. This includes the Transition Area going to Section B.
All of that Music from the start of Transition till the Entrance of Calmato was in a sharp key, now just notice the darkness of the flat key at Calmato; almost feels like homecoming from where we started.
As we are talking about the impressionism period the most beautiful feature of this period is how distantly related chords are used, almost like “Monet” and other great artists using wonderful yet distinctive colors from different color families to paint an impressionist paintings.
If we do a Textural Reductio, the harmonies are placed far apart from each other; Db – Fm – Fb/Ab, and if you see the distance between chord 1 and chord 3 is quite big and that’s what makes it almost unique from common and gives that amazing feature of impressionism.
There are some repeated notes on the 1st and 7th beats, kind of giving a clear sense of the pulse that almost feels like a slow and steady heartbeat.
THE ILLUSION OF DEBUSSY- This motif, the intro is in itself saying everything even if you don’t listen to the entire piece, the starting 2 Bars are everything. It’s already there, doesn’t even matter what is going to happen later on in the piece, these starting two measures have told the sound of MOONLIGHT.
The Sound of Moonlight:
Though the piece is in Db Major, Debussy tends to give the illusion of being in Fm Tonality by introducing the starting notes belonging from Fm Chord but later it states that the piece is in Db Major.
