Arabesque No. 1 in E, by Claude Debussy, has a melody that, although a single line, is fluid yet somewhat complex, with little repeating. It is very smooth, with each note easing itself into the next nearly seamlessly. It is as if each note belongs to the one before and after it exactly so, for if it were to be between two other notes it would not belong. For the most part, the range of notes is quite narrow, almost closed, although there is the occasional “leap” to a much higher note, for what feels like a moment of emphasis and punctuation to the experience.
With a monophony harmony created by using only the piano for orchestration, the piece is consonant and very pleasant to the ear. The dynamics of Arabesque vary very little, from moderately soft (mezzo-piano) to moderately loud (messo forte). There is no reason to increase or lower the volume while listening to it in order to hear it, unlike music where the dynamics vary greatly from too low to too loud.
The effect of the melody, harmony, orchestration, and dynamics on the listener is one of almost dancing, as if young children or young lovers are dancing together lightly in a meadow, with a secret smile for each other. But not just dancing… there are moments when it feels like the children or young lovers are chasing each other playfully, laughing and giggling followed by moments when one has been caught by the other, both falling to the ground and tumbling or rolling together. There is a very young-love, life is joyful, almost romantic feel to it. It is quite uplifting yet gentle; one cannot help but find themselves with a soft smile on their face while listening. The lighter moments bring to mind the feeling of sitting on soft grass in a field, leaning back on one’s hands and turning your face to the sun, feeling the warmth and smelling the grass and flowers about you, lightly smiling and sighing… ahh… this is nice. Definitely, there is live-in-the-moment and enjoy feel to it.
Claude Debussy was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Yvelines, France in 1862, and died in Paris of cancer in 1918 (Wikipedia 1). He was considered one of the original of the “impressionist” composers. During the time he wrote this (approximately 1890), phonographs, phonograph recordings, primitive motion pictures and automobiles were just beginning to be made commercially available. The Spanish-American War and the Second Boer War were going on, and the first steel frame skyscrapers were being built. Finally, the Impressionist painters were all the rage (Wikipedia 1).
This was, despite turmoil caused by the wars going on, a time of much optimism. The many new inventions and subsequent jobs and opportunities created by these inventions, along with the increasing number of factories, material goods and agricultural improvements, would have made this a time where even the poorest of people had some hope that maybe, just maybe, things would be better for them. And if not for them, then maybe their children would have a better life than they had. Of course, World War One had not started yet!
Just like a Monet painting, Arabesque is light, airy, and relaxed yet lightly vibrant, with a pastoral feel to it. This makes it quite apparent that the popular impressionistic artists of the time would have had a large influence on Debussy. In fact, he was good friends with Monet and Renoir (Wikipedia 1). All of the new, exciting inventions of the time likely would have encouraged him to experiment with his work, which when listening to other pieces by him becomes apparent: there is a lot of variety of styles between his various pieces. Since he is one of the first of the impressionistic composers, he obviously did experiment and create works quite different from what the people of the time were used to.
The fact that Arabesque is intended for a single instrument – piano – by a single performer suggests that individualism was likely an important cultural value at the time it was created: it allows a single individual’s talent to be showcased. Humanism was also a likely cultural value, as the piece has a very human feel to it – that of young children or young lovers playing, dancing, and smiling to each other. The live in the moment and enjoy feel to it further suggests humanism. Even though there is a pastoral feel to it, the “characters” of the piece are very human… there is not a birds or young animals playing together feel to it. There is a touch of idealism and emotionalism to the piece also: it is a lightly happy piece, with a smooth, fluid grace to it, almost like a ballet dancer. The light happiness lends one to think of idealism, as happy moments are always the ideal. Emotionalism is suggested by the fact that the piece does evoke a light, almost softly happy emotion in the listener: that one cannot help but bring a soft smile to one’s face while listening to it.
My reaction to the piece was simple: I found myself softly smiling! Leaning back a little further in my chair, I put my hands behind my head and closed my eyes, my breathing slowed some, and I relaxed, with a soft smile on my face. I also noticed that my dog, Colfax, (who was as always lying under my desk as I listened) fell asleep more deeply than usual: she rarely sleeps deeply when under my desk, as she is always aware that I may suddenly arise without warning, disturbing her!
Works Cited
Debussy, Claude. “Arabesque, No. 1 in E.” Perf. Unstated. The Everyday Cooking Collection: A Taste of the Classics. Direct Source Special Products, Inc. 1999.
Wikipedia.org. “Claude Debussy.” Wikipedia.org: The Free Encyclopedia. 29 November 2003. 29 November 2003. < http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Debussy>
Written for Professor Hartman's Survey of Humanities I class at Pikes Peak Community College, 3rd December 2003.
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