Debussy Influences

Final Paper Madeline Garcia

Major Influences on Debussy (Wagner and Chopin)

Claude Debussy had many influences in his life that effected his own compositions. Of these influences, the most important are arguably Richard Wagner in Debussy’s early career, and Frederic Chopin in Debussy’s later career. In this paper, I intend to compare the works of Debussy to those of Wagner, and through melodic and harmonic analysis, expose passages of Wagnerism in Debussy’s early compositions. I also intend to compare the late piano works of Debussy, specifically his etudes, to those of Chopin, which Debussy diligently dedicated to Chopin.
I will argue that the allusion in certain Debussy works, such as La Damoiselle élue and Pour les arpeges composes, result from the influence of Wagner and his compositions, such as Parsifal, and Chopin’s piano works, such as Nouvelle etude.
Debussy’s early career: In the beginning of Debussy’s learning and compositional profession, some have argued the influence of Wagner and relevantly linked the term “Wagnerian” with Debussy and his music. The term Wagnerian is used to describe a person/composer who admires the music of Richard Wagner and thus that person’s own compositions may reflect characteristics of Wagner’s music. It is clear the resemblance of Wagner in Debussy’s early career, though it is blatantly obvious the repulsion Debussy later had toward Wagner, giving Debussy the future title of anti-Wagnerian. A study by English composer Robin Holloway has led some to believe that Debussy’s music throughout his entire life, even at the end, resembles an influence of Wagner, l...

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...th Wagner and Chopin played important roles throughout Debussy’s compositional career. Debussy’s youthful inspiration is clearly developed from exposure to the works of Richard Wagner. With echoes of Wagnerian motifs in Debussy’s La Damoiselle élue, it is obvious the impact Wagner had on Debussy, as well as French music in that time period. It is difficult to say what later triggered Debussy to become anti-Wagnerian, and this rebellion becomes clear as Debussy continued to write compositions that strayed farther and farther from Wagnerism, and closer to the style of Chopin. The virtuosity achieved by Debussy from the inspiration of Chopin’s piano works, previously identified, is perhaps what is remembered most about Debussy. It is in circumstance more memorable the later style of his music rather than a more ambiguous past of compositions.