Methods of Expressive Formal Design in Debussy's Sonata for Violin and Piano

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2019-12

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Abstract

This paper will discuss Claude Debussy’s final work, the Sonata for Violin and Piano, in terms of classical sonata form. This analytical view is not chosen to suggest that the classical design was used as a model for this work, but to draw out associations between the forms that help us to better understand Debussy’s unique design and appreciate its novel construction. Such an investigation is valuable as a compositional study, exemplifying the freedom with which tonal relations and thematic repetition can be organized while still outlining a form which satisfies the desired balance between recurrence and variety. From historical and biographical perspectives, it gives us insight into Debussy’s stylistic development and how traditional forms, either strategically or unintentionally, are reflected or alluded to in the music of his final years.

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Music theory

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