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La Mer stands at the center of Debussy's achievement. Described by the composer as "a seascape without figures," it is arguably the greatest and most original French symphony. In this study, La Mer is considered in the context of Debussy's personal and musical development. Detailed discussion of performance styles draw on current recordings, and two analytical chapters trace the growth of ideas through the work. Studies of rhythm, motif and tonality show how Debussy generates "narratives" across the three movements.
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CAMBRIDGE MUSIC HANDBOOKS Debussy: La mer CAMBRIDGE MUSIC HANDBOOKS GENERAL EDITOR Julian Rushton Cambridge Music Handbooks provide accessible introductions to major musical works, written by the most informed commentators in the field. With the concert-goer, performer and student in mind, the books present essential information on the historical and musical context, the composition, and the performance and reception history of each work, or group of works, as well as critical discussion of the music. Other published titles Bach: The Brandenburg Concertos MALCOLM BO YD Bach: Mass in B Minor JOHN BUTT Beethoven: Missa solemnis WILLIAM DRABKIN Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 NICHOLAS COOK Berg: Violin Concerto ANTHONY POPLE Berlioz: Romeo et Juliette JULIAN RUSHTON Chopin: The Four Ballades JIM SAMSON Handel: Messiah DONALD BURROWS Haydn: The Creation NICHOLAS TEMPERLEY Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 50 w. DEAN SUTCLIFFE Janacek: Glagolitic Mass PAUL WINGFIELD Mahler: Symphony No. 3 PETER FRANKLIN Mendelssohn: The Hebrides and other overtures R. LARRY TODD Mozart: The 'Jupiter' Symphony ELAINE SISMAN Musorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition MICHAEL RUSS Schoenberg: Pierrot lunaire JONATHAN DUNSBY Schubert: Die schb'ne Mullerin SUSAN YOUENS Schumann: Fantasie, Op. 17 NICHOLAS MARSTON Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 JAMES HEPOKOSKI Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra JOHN WILLIAMSON Stravinsky: Oedipus rex STEPHEN WALSH Debussy: La mer Simon Trezise Lecturer in Music Trinity College, Dublin CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Published by the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RP 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA 10 Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia © Cambridge University Press 1994 First published 1994 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress cataloguing in publication data Trezise, Simon. Debussy, La mer / Simon Trezise. p. cm. — (Cambridge music handbooks) Includes bibliographical references (pp. 104—5) and index. ISBN 0 521 44100 5 (hardback) - ISBN 0 521 44656 2 (paperback). 1. Debussy, Claude, 1862-1918. La mer. I. Title. II. Series. ML410.D28T7 1994 784.2 f1896-dc20 93-42789 CIP MN ISBN 0 521 44100 5 hardback ISBN 0 521 44656 2 paperback Transferred to digital printing 2003 AH For Debbie Contents Preface, acknowledgements, notes on editions and references, piano arrangements 1 Debussy: 1903-1905 Life Works page ix 1 1 7 2 Genesis Composition Second thoughts 11 11 16 3 La mer in performance Early performances Post 1918: Paris Critical opinion Performance styles 19 19 24 24 26 4 The 'invisible sentiments of nature' Musical seas Impressionism Programme 32 32 35 37 5 Genre and style Genre Sources of La mer's musical style 45 45 48 VII Contents 6 Design Formal structure Synopsis 51 51 53 7 Material and 'immaterial' music Rhythm and 'rhythmicised time' Motif and arabesque Tonality 75 76 82 86 8 Afterword 96 Notes 98 Select bibliography 104