About Claude Debussy’s Harmony. Some Aspects of Tonality

Abstract

The article is devoted to certain issues related to harmony in Claude Debussy’s music, as well as their coverage in work with students of higher musical institutions. The focus of our attention lies on the categories of tonality and functionality as the most important aspects of the composer’s harmonic style. The tonality of his music is presented, on the one hand, based on traditions manifesting the late romantic tendencies of extended tonality; on the other hand, taking into account, the individual original musical solutions presented by the composer in some particular compositions of his. The latter are demonstrated in the close combination of tonal “states,” the application of the principle of “directing” tonality, and introduction of the elements of chromatic tonality.

Attention is paid to Debussy’s special harmonic techniques, which became constructive for his work – the “autonomous” interaction between two different seventh chords which possess a multi-vector tonal-functional orientation, as well as “harmonic montage.” The article comes up with the conclusion that Debussy’s harmonic system is comprised of the synthesis of many of its particular manifestations, which make it possible for us to examine its most important specific features in a new way. 

Keywords: Debussy’s harmony, “states of tonality,” “directing” tonality, “background” tonalities, coloristic functions, multi-vector functionality, principle of “harmonic motage,” rhythm of harmonic shifts