Debussy Nuages Revision

Name the bar numbers of Rotation 1:

Bars 1-10

In what bars and rotation can triadic harmony be seen?

Bars 29-32 in the ‘x’ material of R3

Name the bar numbers of Rotation 2:

Bars 11-28

Which rotation has the least typical ‘x’ material?

Rotation 3

Name the bar numbers of Rotation 3:

Bars 29-56

Name the bar numbers of Rotation 4:

Bars 57-93

Name the bar numbers of Rotation 5:

Bars 94-102

What are 4 characteristics of ‘x’ that apply to every rotation?

• Homophonic texture

• Continuous crotchets

• Distinctive 6-note figure

• Octatonically inflected B minor

Name 4 distinctive characteristics of the ‘y’ material

• Cor Anglais melody (starts with triplet, spans a tritone)

• Metric dissonance of melody (4/4)

• G dominant 7th chord

• B pedal

What is the difference between the ‘x’ and ‘y’ material in R1?

The ‘y’ material is fully octatonic

How is R2 different to R1?

R2 is essentially a copy of R1 material with extra orchestral and harmonic colour

How is the ‘x’ material presented differently in R2?

• Presented on violins, not woodwinds

• Uses doublings

How does Debussy erase the functionality of extended chords?

By writing them parallel to each other

What scale does Debussy use to provide contrast in the interpolation of R2?

Pentatonic scale(s)

How is the ‘y’ material presented differently in R2?

• Harmonic colour is different

• Not fully octatonic (addition of an A from the G9 chord)

• Uses the notes of the G acoustic scale

How does a G acoustic scale compare to a G major scale?

A G major scale with a raised 4th and a flattened 7th

What is an acoustic scale?

A major scale with an augmented 4th and a flattened 7th

What makes the rhythmic dissonance in R2 ‘y’ material more noticeable?

The crotchets in the viola part (which are similar to the ‘x’ material)

Where does the falling tritone motif first appear and what is its significance?

• Bar 23

• It is the same interval and pitches that the ‘y’ material spans

How does Debussy extend the ‘y’ material in R2?

He repeats the Cor Anglais melody

What bars does Debussy particularly use the pentatonic scale?

Bars 64-80

What octatonic scale does Debussy use and what interval does he start with (tone/semitone)?

• B octatonic

• Tone (B to C#)

What 5 scales does Debussy use in Nuages (in alphabetical order)?

• Acoustic

• Dorian

• Octatonic

• Pentatonic

• Whole tone

Name 4 characteristics of the whole tone scale/harmony?

• Necessarily ambiguous

• Only allows for augmented triads

• Gives a dream-like sensation (think Bali Hai in South Pacific)

• Lack of semitones means no differentiation of harmony

What remains similar in the ‘x’ material of R3?

• Texture

• Rhythm (although with a little added syncopation)

How is the ‘x’ material in R3 significantly altered?

• The distinctive melody is substantially changed

• Previous statements started with a bare 5th (B and F#) whereas this has a D minor triad

• All of the crotchets are triads (triadic harmony)

What emerges in the interpolation of R3?

Whole tone colour with emphasised Cs, Ds, Es, and F#s (whole tones spanning a tritone)

How does the ‘y’ material in R3 differ from previous rotations?

The texture and harmony are shifted to give a different colour to the unchanged Cor Anglais melody

How does the ‘y’ material in R3 differ from R2?

It is purely octatonic, rather than incorporating the A of a G9 chords

In R3, what 2 chords does the harmony oscillate between?

A very dissonant B13 and the familiar G7

What is the sounding pitch of a Cor Anglais?

A perfect 5th lower than written

How does Debussy add instrumental and textural detail to the ‘y’ material of R3?

• Using both arco and pizz strings

• Adding imitation

What are the 2 differences between the ‘x’ material in R4 as compared to previous rotations?

• Theme is played in oboes (not heard before)

• Viola solo

What is the most contrasting section of the piece and what harmony does this use?

• The interpolation of R4 (Bars 64-79)

• Pentatonic harmony

How does the contrasting interpolation of R4 fade out?

With a variation of the ‘y’ material seen in Bar 51

In what rotation is the most harmonically colourful presentation of the ‘y’ material?

Rotation 4 (Bars 80-93)

What chord is connected to the ‘y’ material?

G7

What are the first 3 chords of the ‘y’ section of R4 and what scale do these correspond to?

• G7, C#7, E7

• Octatonic

What is the difference between Rotations 1-4 and R5?

Rotations 1-4 are about expanding and changing colour 

R5 is much shorter, material is fragmented and reduced, ‘x’ and ‘y’ material seems to disappear and becomes harder to hear

How is the ‘x’ material presented in R5?

• Dark colour

• Down an octave in bassoons

• Fragmented and interspersed with silence

How does Debussy recreate the R4 pentatonic interpolation

• Virtually no accompaniment, as opposed to the previously rich accompaniment

What remains of the ‘y’ material in R5?

• Falling tritone motif

• Low rumbling B pedal note

• G7 chords

How does Debussy’s piece end?

In an octatonic fog

Where do parallel dominant 9ths first appear?

Bar 13 (R2 ‘x’ material)

What is the harmony of bars 19-20 (R2, last 2 bars of the interpolation)?

Eb9 with Bb dorian elements

In what bar and rotation in the C major chord?

Bar 31, the 3rd bar of Rotation 3

When does the ‘y’ material first conform to the 6/4 meter?

Bar 51

What intervallic formula do dominant 9ths use?

1,3,5,b7,9 (major 9th, dominant 7th)

What is a dorian scale?

A natural minor with a raised 6th (minor 3rd, raised 6th, minor 7th)

What is quartal harmony?

Harmony built on 4ths

What is the difference between an appogiatura and an acciacatura?

• An appogiatura is an accented note that falls on the beat (no slash through the note)

• An acciaccatura is an unaccented note that is played before the beat (slash through the note)