Abbreviated analysis: Debussy's "La Cathedrale Engloutie"

Abbreviated Analysis: Debussy’s “La Cathedrale Engloutie”

In terms of a segmented analysis, Debussy’s prelude “La Cathedrale Engloutie” (The Sunken Cathedral) can be divided into four main sections, with introduction and coda-type figures. The overall form of the piece follows as Introduction – Section I – Section II – Section III – Section IV – Coda.

The introduction runs from m. 1 through m. 15, and may be further divided into three sub-sections: subsection A (mm. 1 – 6), subsection B (mm. 7 – 12), and subsection C (mm. 13 – 15). Subsection A functions as an introductory presentation of the thematic idea of the piece; it also establishes a static grouping of notes (a series of rising parallel chords on the open fifth and octave) that are focused around the pentatonic collection of G-D-E-A-B pitches. The pentatonic groupings resurface throughout the piece, and can themselves be thought of as a harmonic motive. Subsection B functions as a tonal transition, modulating in key and foreshadowing the ideas in Section III; and subsection C reaffirms the rising parallel chords and the idea of a pentatonic collection of pitches.

Section I begins on m. 16 and runs through m. 27, again playing with pentatonic groupings and similar progressions of rising chords. It features a transition at mm. 22 – 27 into Section II, which itself runs from mm. 28 – 41 and features a progression of parallel triadic chords. Measures 42 - 46 begin another key transition into C# minor. Section III runs mm. 47 – 67 and explores the key of C# minor; it takes up the foreshadowing in subsection B of the introduction, then follows another key transition (mm. 68 – 71) into Section IV, which takes up the parallel triadic chords once more, in C major. The piece ends with a coda-like figure from m. 84 - 89, which, as stated in the written musical direction, is “…in the sound of the beginning”, revisiting the rising parallel chords and the same general pentatonic grouping of G-D-E-A-B.

In summary of segmentation, the piece follows an almost poetic form - Intro, A, B, A’, C, Coda; this supports my personal conception of the prelude as an atmospheric tone poem. The work is highly programmatic, and I divided the sections based on the sonorities of the piece as they changed or were varied; I also considered the segments in terms of modulations of key, motive, and texture. The key center, I believe, is C major, while there are a few modulations on transitional keys heading to and from C#. The harmonic motive of the rising parallel chords resurfaces in some form in every section of the piece; throughout, the one constant interval is the perfect octave, and though the meat of the chords change from fourths/fifths to triadic intervals depending upon the section, the octave seems to be the basis for the piece’s atmospheric, open sound. The chords become denser the further along the piece progresses, which might represent the sinking of the cathedral into the murky, heavier depths, and the sense of timbre changes as well.

Debussy takes the material and, by limiting himself to mostly parallel progressions and wandering harmonies, creates a static grouping of tonal yet nonfunctional sonorities that are varied from section to section, thus providing variety in unity throughout his prelude.

Transitional Figures: Foreshadowed Atonality in Strauss, Skryabin, and Debussy

Strauss, Skryabin, and Debussy are all considered transitional composers from tonal to atonal music. None accomplished a complete break with traditional tonality, however each experimented with variety and the new in their musical language, pushing tonality to its limits in terms of both functional harmony and systematic approach.

Strauss, in the tone poem Tod und Verklarung (Death and Transfiguration), used musical language that is still tonally centered around major and minor scales; as the leading figure of post-Wagnerian music, his music bears similarity to Wagner in that it features recurring leitmotivs (see mm. 16, 30, 41, and 52) and functional harmonies (the first page establishes a beginning key of C minor). Resolutions tend to wander, never fully cadencing (see p. 10, third system – p. 11, third system), yet unlike in Skryabin they are not static; the forward motion obscures the downbeat, propelling the rhythmic drive of the piece. The tone poem itself is structured in a subtle sonata form – Strauss has not yet embraced the permeable, unstructured form that will be seen in Debussy. Though the poem is programmatic in nature, it requires no written explanation to be able to grasp the emotional journey expressed in the movements. Strauss believed that “anything could be set to music as long as it was felt intensely”: this implies that Strauss seriously contemplated his own death, and when one combines this implication with Strauss’s own individualistic self-confidence, the interpretation may be reached that Strauss was writing a chronicle of how he saw his own death and transformation.

Skryabin, in Vers la flamme (Toward the Flame), attempted to create a brand new system of tonality, and did so by experimenting with the “mystic” (Prometheus) chord, which exploits a series of rising fourths in harmonic or melodic arrangement. The mystic chord is similar to the whole-tone scale so characteristic of Debussy’s musical language – Skryabin often used such exotic scales, making use of unstable and nonfunctional harmonies. Unlike in Strauss, whose musical language is dynamic and leading, the constant use of the mystic chord renders this piece static; because the harmonies do not lead to a specific contextual pitch, the sound and intent both become unsettled and anxious. The mystic chord does not resolve, unlike Wagner’s “Tristan” chord, which yearns to resolve to “A”; ironically, the static groupings of notes in this piece seem tonal, and because they lead nowhere, we expect harmonic progression. This piece opens with unstable expressions of tritones in the bass and a falling two-note cell in the treble, almost reminiscent of a Phrygian sigh; the two-note cell reappears throughout the work as a “desire” motive, perhaps the musical representation of the feverish “flame” Skryabin held for his second wife, Tatyana Schloezer. The work also employs the mystic chord with an added third. Texturally, Skryabin uses massive chords simultaneously containing many of the 12 notes of the chromatic scale, which reflects the mysticism of his personality as well as his fascination with rich colors and progressive sounds. Vers la flamme is limited only by the repetition of such colors; the piece loses variety through the constant emphasis of such dissonances.

Debussy, in La Cathedrale Engloutie (The Sunken Cathedral), aimed for a tonal approach that was completely free of traditional functional harmonies and form. His musical language is similar to Skryabin’s in that the harmony is quickly established as mostly static; in the first seven measures, he uses no accidentals, therefore establishing a static group of notes (a rising series of parallel pentatonic chords) that act as motivic material throughout the piece. Debussy focuses less on melody than on themes and moments, and focuses the tonality through repetition in mm. 7 – 13. This piece wanders freely in form, unlike Strauss’s tone poem, and employs fragmentation, atmospheric color effects, and similarly structured chords of the same quality in order to create an Impressionistic feel.

Of Strauss, Skryabin, and Debussy, it is my conclusion that Skryabin most consistently pushed the boundaries of tonality with his conception of the mystic chord. All three composers experimented with tonality, generally remaining within or close to the conventions of the diatonic system; however Strauss’s use of functional harmony and subjectivity were more Romantically inclined, and Debussy eventually returned to a more classic approach to tonality, leaving Skryabin to most vary traditional tonality with exotic scales, 12-note chords, and static harmonies. It is therefore my conclusion that out of the three, Skryabin is the most influential transitional composer of the period.