L'isle joyeuse

Claude Debussy's L' Isle Joyeuse single piece is one of the most famous piano works by the French composer and is one of the most popular works of Impressionism. This monumental piece, which appeared about the same time in 1904 with the Estampes, represents in clear fully formulated, the theme of the Dionysian frenzy, the garish day and the glaring heat of the sun. It is an expression of ecstatic and orgiastic elation in an ancient dream and ideal landscape. In the composition of the Lydian mode plays a crucial role attributed to the ancient Greeks sensual charisma. From the pianistic side of this with virtuoso extremely popular piece Debussy himself said: "Mon dieu, how is that hard to play, this piece unites in himself, as it seems to me that wants to handle all kinds with the piano, because it combines power and grace if I may say so ... " Here you can feel the satisfaction of the author, even a really " have presented heavy " piece.

Genesis

Debussy wrote the virtuosic and technically relatively heavy piece already in 1903. Stimulated it was probably by an image of the French painter Antoine Watteau ( 1684-1721 ), entitled L' Embarquement de Cythera ( Embarkation for Cythera, a Greek island in the mythology island of happiness and sensual fulfillment was ) wearing. In the summer of 1904, however, he worked there for a stay in Jersey to complete. The title of L' Isle Joyeuse can thus be understood as an allusion to the island of Jersey, as it is on the one hand is the sunniest of all the British Isles with her, which is famous among other things for its extensive beaches, on the other hand it served Debussy as a refuge, as he had fled with Emma BARDAC from Paris. The piece is therefore repeatedly brought in connection with his then begun relationship with the banker's wife. Striking is definitely that he used in place of the French word for island " île ", the English word " isle " in the title. In the same year, 1904, was " L'isle Joyeuse ", together with another major solo piece, the Masques, published by Durand.

Design and analysis

In contrast to the Masques here illuminates the full day and it radiates the power of a heightened awareness of life. The composition was indeed inspired by the image of L' Embarquement de Cythera, but the piece goes far beyond the painting also. "The beginning is ( a cadence equal ) formed by a Springing from the Lydian trill arabesques chain with the performance indication quasi una cadenza. Below is a präludierendes character Modéré et très souple ( Moderate and very gracefully ) the almost all over the pedal point A spins, . melodically it is mainly characterized by Triolengirlanden and a vague vast counterpoint Un peu en dehors ( a bit out) below ( from bar 28) is the triplet in a 3/8-time continued, coupled with chromatic progressions of bewitching grace. outspoken This style of development reached its peak in the resumption of the chain of trills ( clock 52) and leads to a wide sweeping Lydian cantilena (cycle 67) in 3/8-time molto rubato (very free). with a tempo ( the tempo ) begins a kind of implementation, reflecting cadenza- way join on ascending and descending arpeggios with fragments of the previous movement elements. From bar 145 poco a poco animé ( gradually alive ), a resumption of the ailing in the first main part motifs transferred to C. With an increase of animé ( animated ) in measure 160, the main key of A major is reached again. In a Ganztonpassage in forte (loud) clock 182-185, this development culminates. A new motion set pianissimo ( very soft) 186-199 clock over a pedal point Gis leads to the coda motif, which harmoniously resonates rhythmically Chabrier to Mussorgsky. The new, stormy moving rhythm occurs with un peu Cédé (a bit relented ) clock 220 as a counterpoint to the Lydian Cantilena opposite. In rapid increase unfolds a motion Dionysian intoxication, which opens into the bright glittering Trillerarabesken of the beginning (cycle 244). A Lydian chord trills forms the virtuoso conclusion of the piece. " - W. Danckert