22nd Annual Student Research Conference
"Les fées sont d'exquises danseuses" and Ondine by Claude Debussy:
Impressionistic Portrayals of Supernatural Creatures
Nelson K. Randolph
Dr. David McKamie, Faculty Mentor
Into the early twentieth century, composer Claude Debussy continued the Romantic Era's fascination with the supernatural. Unlike Romantic artists, however, Debussy focused on an external depiction of his subjects rather than upon an emotional portrayal of psychological characteristics. Through this approach he was able to achieve unique results by way of his original musical techniques. His ultimate goal was to compose music that suggested visual images in the mind of the listener. An examination of these two selections from his Préludes Book II (1911-1913) yields interesting insights regarding Debussy's elegant musical aesthetic.
Keywords: Debussy, Piano, Impressionism, Claude, fairies, water, external, supernatural
Topic(s):Music
Presentation Type: Performance Art
Session: 1-3
Location: OP Performance Hall
Time: 8:45