A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF DEBUSSY’S FEUX D’ARTIFICE IN THE ASPECTS OF HARMONY, INTERVALLIC RELATIONSHIPS, AND MOTIVIC DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Among works for piano by Debussy, Préludes remains one of the most significant compositions in the piano literature. Préludes consists of two books, each containing twelve pieces. The first book was published in 1910, and the second in 1913. Although the two volumes were published in different years, they should be regarded as a unified work, as the collection reflects the assimilation of non-traditional materials, such as pentatonic scales, modality, parallelism, and whole-tone scales. However, the second volume demonstrates greater advancement in terms of piano performance techniques and interpretation. Notably, the titles of the pieces in Préludes differ from those in other works by Debussy, where he typically placed the title at the end of each piece in brackets. The titles themselves are significant, as they provide subtle hints to the characteristics and images of each prelude. Additionally, placing the title at the end of each piece allows performers more freedom in interpretation, as they are not influenced by the composer's suggestions beforehand. This article aims to study and analyze the last piece of the second book, Feux d’artifice (literally meaning “fireworks”). Despite its importance, there are hardly any detailed scholarly analyses of the piece, and those that exist rarely explore it in terms of harmony, intervallic relationships, and motivic development in each section of the piece. Moreover, research on this topic that the author has reviewed is not recent. For these reasons, a comprehensive theoretical analysis is needed to enhance our understanding of Debussy’s compositional style. Methods: The research design of this qualitative research is documentary analysis, focusing on Debussy’s compositional techniques employs in the piece in order to understand how important musical elements are treated throughout the entire piece. By carefully exploring the work, the analysis will clearly reveal Debussy’s craftsmanship and his approach to conveying ideas through music. Results: The study shows that Feux d’artifice exemplifies Debussy's meticulous compositional skill in multiple aspects. As the title suggests, the piece aims to evoke the vivid colors of fireworks in the night sky through innovative piano techniques, lush harmonies, and motivic transformations. Debussy treats the primary motif economically, beginning with a two-note motif that is transformed throughout the piece. Each time it reappears, the motif is presented in a way that makes it stand out from the texture, yet still recalls its original form. The relationship of intervals is significant in Feux d’artifice, appearing in both the melody and accompaniment. The initial motif, starting on the note C in measure 27, is quickly transposed a half-step higher to C in measure 30, and then returns to C in the following measure. This intervallic relationship can be described enharmonically as a minor second (m2). The same relationship is also prominent in measure 65, where the key signature changes from F major to F major. Additionally, this intervallic relationship appears in harmony through swift chord changes, such as the C 9-D9 progression in measure 30. Furthermore, a tritone is also a crucial element in the piece, as it is a part of the whole-tone scale, which plays an important role in the aspect of harmony. The tritone relationship is evident in several places, reaching its peak in the chord progression C major-F major-E major-B major and E minor-A major-G major-C major in measures 61 and 63. The use of harmony in Feux d’artifice is distinctive. Debussy skillfully manipulates with different scales and chords, frequently changing or combine them to create an unstable feeling that reflects the piece’s ambiguous tonality. From the outset, two whole-tone collections (WT0 and WT1) are used to introduce a sense of tonal instability. This technique becomes more pronounced later, particularly in measure 67, where both hands play different chords, and in the ending in measures 90-98, where the melody in C major is placed over a bass note on D . The use of quickly transposed reaches its zenith as parallel harmony in the chord progression E 7 9-E7 9-F7 9-F 7 9 during the climax in measures 85-86. Throughout the piece, the key signatures mostly indicate the relationship between distantly related keys. Although they suggest the key to each section, the harmony is permeated with unresolved dissonance, particularly in dominant ninth chords that never resolve to a tonic. Broadly speaking, Feux d’artifice exhibits an overall instability of tonality, achieved through techniques such as combining different scales, superimposing chords, rapidly shifting harmonies, using distantly related keys, and leaving dissonance unresolved. Ultimately, the piece subtly implies tonal stability, ending with a resolution on D . Conclusions: From an overall perspective, Feux d’artifice flows almost seamlessly, using similar material at the ends of sections to bridge them into the following ones. The piece captivates the listener from the outset, gradually introducing musical materials and building tension until it dissolves in the coda. Above all, the harmonic techniques employed in the work contribute significantly to evoking the vibrant colors of fireworks on the Champ de Mars during France's National Day celebrations.