Claude Debussy was born in France in 1862. He began playing the piano as a child and, between then and his death in 1918, became one of the most famous composers known to man. There are few who do not know the name of Debussy and at least a few of his works, such as Clair de Lune or Deux Arabesques.
Though Debussy is considered an impressionist pianist by some, he was always kicking against the standards of his day. He even once said, in regards to his desire to choose his own way of playing, "I am sure the Institute would not approve, for, naturally it regards the path which it ordains as the only right one. but there is no help for it! I am too enamoured of my freedom, too fond of my own ideas". It comes as no surprise that someone who felt this way would find a certain attraction to a predecessor of jazz -- ragtime.
In 1908, Debussy wrote his Children's Corner Suite dedicated to his daughter. It contains a series of songs that are supposed to remind a person of certain children's toys. One of these songs has a decidedly ragtime feel -- Golliwog's Cakewalk.
A cakewalk was a type of minstrelsy in which the most bizarre and exaggerated dancer would receive a cake. A golliwog was a type of doll that was similar to the black-face minstrels of the time. With that small explanation, here is Golliwog's Cakewalk performed by Arturo Michelangeli.
Though Debussy is considered an impressionist pianist by some, he was always kicking against the standards of his day. He even once said, in regards to his desire to choose his own way of playing, "I am sure the Institute would not approve, for, naturally it regards the path which it ordains as the only right one. but there is no help for it! I am too enamoured of my freedom, too fond of my own ideas". It comes as no surprise that someone who felt this way would find a certain attraction to a predecessor of jazz -- ragtime.
In 1908, Debussy wrote his Children's Corner Suite dedicated to his daughter. It contains a series of songs that are supposed to remind a person of certain children's toys. One of these songs has a decidedly ragtime feel -- Golliwog's Cakewalk.
A cakewalk was a type of minstrelsy in which the most bizarre and exaggerated dancer would receive a cake. A golliwog was a type of doll that was similar to the black-face minstrels of the time. With that small explanation, here is Golliwog's Cakewalk performed by Arturo Michelangeli.
Though this piece is not a "jazz" piece and therefore cannot be analyzed in quite the same manner, I believe that it is worth looking at because it shows the far reaching effects of jazz and, more especially, ragtime.
In the simplest of terms, Golliwog's Cakewalk can be said to have a format of A-B-A. In reality it is slightly more complicated then this:
8 bar introduction
(A section)
8 bar theme 1
8 bar theme 1 with variations
8 bar theme 2
8 bar theme 2 with variations
6 bar transition
(B section)
14 bar theme 3 (split 8-6)
12 bar theme 4 (split 4-4-4)
17 bar theme 4 variation (split 3-3-4-4-3)
(A section)
8 bar theme 1
8 bar theme 1 with variations
8 bar theme 2 with variations
7 bar theme 2 with variations
8 bar ending
As we can see, Debussy does not conform to the typical 16 bar phrase of basic ragtime. Even though his form is completely different, this piece still has a ragtime feel to it. For one there is the dance feeling. This is a cakewalk--you can just imagine people dancing extravagantly to it--and it has that peppy upbeat attitude. It also has the quick walking tempo of most ragtime and sounds deceptively easy which is not a requirement for ragtime, but is something that frequently occurs. In keeping with that New Orleans sound, we feel a very strong emphasis on every other beat (two and four) instead of every beat like is found in later jazz.
Debussy pays careful attention to the "touches" he uses on the piano. Throughout the A section and at appropriate times in the B section, there is this very sharp and precise staccato which only enhances the dancing feeling of this piece. In the B section, Debussy departs from ragtime to play a mocking shadow of Richard Wagner's opening prelude from Tristan and Isolde.
This piece though not a purely ragtime idea, nonetheless shows the far reaching effects of the ever changing music scene in America. Even though it had to cross an ocean, ragtime, and eventually jazz, would reach the world and influence all kinds of people and musics.
Sources:
Debussy: Man and Artist by Oscar Thompson
www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/golliwog/
In the simplest of terms, Golliwog's Cakewalk can be said to have a format of A-B-A. In reality it is slightly more complicated then this:
8 bar introduction
(A section)
8 bar theme 1
8 bar theme 1 with variations
8 bar theme 2
8 bar theme 2 with variations
6 bar transition
(B section)
14 bar theme 3 (split 8-6)
12 bar theme 4 (split 4-4-4)
17 bar theme 4 variation (split 3-3-4-4-3)
(A section)
8 bar theme 1
8 bar theme 1 with variations
8 bar theme 2 with variations
7 bar theme 2 with variations
8 bar ending
As we can see, Debussy does not conform to the typical 16 bar phrase of basic ragtime. Even though his form is completely different, this piece still has a ragtime feel to it. For one there is the dance feeling. This is a cakewalk--you can just imagine people dancing extravagantly to it--and it has that peppy upbeat attitude. It also has the quick walking tempo of most ragtime and sounds deceptively easy which is not a requirement for ragtime, but is something that frequently occurs. In keeping with that New Orleans sound, we feel a very strong emphasis on every other beat (two and four) instead of every beat like is found in later jazz.
Debussy pays careful attention to the "touches" he uses on the piano. Throughout the A section and at appropriate times in the B section, there is this very sharp and precise staccato which only enhances the dancing feeling of this piece. In the B section, Debussy departs from ragtime to play a mocking shadow of Richard Wagner's opening prelude from Tristan and Isolde.
This piece though not a purely ragtime idea, nonetheless shows the far reaching effects of the ever changing music scene in America. Even though it had to cross an ocean, ragtime, and eventually jazz, would reach the world and influence all kinds of people and musics.
Sources:
Debussy: Man and Artist by Oscar Thompson
www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/golliwog/
Great job of showing the across the water influence. Excellent work.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I also got around to embedding the video on my previous critical listening so you should be able to hear it now.
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