In recent years Claude Debussy has come to be regarded as one of the most revolutionary composers of the 20th century. In this course, two orchestral works of Debussy, Nocturnes (1899), and La Mer (1905), will be thoroughly analyzed measure by measure. All aspects of these compositions (harmony, form, rhythm, thematic development, orchestration, phrasing, etc...) will be thoroughly discussed. Debussy Analysis is a studio course. The class has been divided into small groups of two or three students per group. Each group will meet with the instructor individually for one hour per week. This is an advanced graduate theory course. Debussys music is quite complex and requires a certain degree of preparation. Students will need to have a strong background in harmony, chord progression, and voice leading; and a firm grasp of musical forms.
