Voiles

Voiles ( frz: Veil / sail ) is composed by Claude Debussy piano piece from 1909, it is the second composition of the Preludes - Livre I and it is considered a typical work of Debussy..

The composition consists of 64 bars, which can be divided into 5 sections. The limits are within the sections as often fluid and thus can not be defined precisely in the musical Impressionism, on the clock.

This is a recommended but not mandatory subdivision.

Overall, the piece consists of three different levels, which need to be considered, the Ober-/Mitteltöne and bass is. The overtones of these were the most agile plane ( large Ambitus ), the midtones a " not quite as moving " ( medium-sized Ambitus ), and the bass sounds a static level ( due to the low ambitus )

In this part of the bass and midrange series rests at the beginning and only the overtones make the falling motif (consisting of the Tonvorrat a whole-tone scale ) in the first four bars before. It can not be said of a subject or cantus firmus in this design, since Debussy basically took no issues and developed. His idea of ​​musical aesthetics was to use images, which are always different illuminated. In the course of Part A, the individual voices are " presented " in the various levels, with the upper voice plays the subject again and again, the middle voice often plays chord beats and the bass is rigid on the bass b. The overtones exist in this part mainly of sixteenth notes, midtones eighth notes. The rigid bass sounds are made ( played in staccato ) eighth and quarter notes.

In this part changes the subject of a falling movement in an ascending converts. Bass and mid-tones remain the same.

This part takes place in the upper tones and midtones an acceleration instead ( overtones play now thirty-second ) during which takes place a slowdown in the bass. The upper and middle tones to each other by the central values ​​in contrast, that form a contrast. This metric obfuscation is generated.

Debussy can be done with Section C a very large change in style for Previous, as many fast rising Zweiunddreißigsteltöne be played. The Tonvorrat, this ascending tones, forms the pentatonic scale. This an aimless, exotic, Far Eastern character is awarded the piece. The pitch is partly chosen extremely high, which also supports the veiled character.

This section forms a conglomerate of Part A and C. It also known for the arpeggios from Part C strongly to wear. However, with the difference to that form next to the arpeggios in the middle voice, other motives (which the Tonvorrat the whole-tone scale use ) in the upper voice. Also, various already known motifs reappear. Thus one finds in between some of the chords of the middle voice (known from Part A). Also the main motive, which was presented at the very beginning of the piece (Part A), reappears in the upper voice.

The piece is indeed stated in 2/4 time with 88 bpm, however, the metric priorities are extremely veiled. It is almost impossible to determine a metric, so that the piece gets a " free-floating " character. This is achieved by Debussy break right at the beginning of the piece, and by the ever-recurring breaks in the course of the piece. Next take the frequent note value changes, across levels, to conceal the metric at. But also by the different note values ​​(and thus generated tempos ), the individual levels in contrast to each other ( overtones - "fast"; midtones - " medium-fast "; bass tones - " extremely slow " ), the metric is veiled.