presents

May 2, 2021 Doug Oldham Recital Hall MUSIC 170 3:00 PM Clair de Lune Claude from (1862-1918)

La cathédrale engloutie from Préludes, book I (1862-1918)

Bruyères Claude Debussy from Préludes, book II (1862-1918)

Reflets dans l’eau Claude Debussy from , book I (1862-1918)

L’isle joyeuse, L. 106 Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Clair de Lune While Debussy began the composition of Suite bergamasque in 1890, he did not publish the work until 1905 after making several revisions to each piece. Debussy probably got the name “bergamasque” from the symbolist poet Paul Verlaine (1844-1896). In 1882, Debussy set a Verlaine poem which includes the phrase, “masques et bergamasques.” This phrase alludes to “a subliminal vision of masked figures, sad as they dance in their fantastic costumes.” The third piece of this suite, “Clair de lune,” is Debussy’s most popular composition. Debussy drew inspiration from Verlaine’s poem with the same title:

Your soul is a chosen landscape Where charming masquerades and dancers are promenading, Playing the lute and dancing, and almost Sad beneath their fantastic disguises.

While singing in a minor key Of victorious love, and the pleasant life They seem not to believe in their own happiness And their song blends with the light of the moon,

With the sad and beautiful light of the moon, Which sets the birds in the trees dreaming, And makes the fountains sob with ecstasy, The slender water streams among the marble statues. La cathédrale engloutie Debussy’s 24 preludes showcase his mature impressionist style like no other collection, as they synthesize his varied musical influences and aesthetic sensibilities. Published as two sets of twelve preludes in 1910 and 1913, Debussy gives each of the 24 preludes a descriptive title, usually referencing works of art, poetry, nature, or legend. Interestingly, Debussy places each of the titles at the end of the piece, which suggests that he wanted listeners to experiece the music as its own sonorous reality before knowing the programmatic depictions.

The tenth piece of the first book of preludes, “La cathédrale engloutie” (The Sunken Cathedral) depicts the Breton legend of the magical cathedral of Ys. Fully submerged underwater, the cathedral rises to the surface on clear mornings and gloriously unveils itself until sunset, when it sinks back to its underwater dwelling. Debussy opens the piece with ascending quartal and quintal intervals, alluding to medeival chant music. Eventually, Debussy depicts the cathedral lifting out of the water with a section that is marked Pue à a peu sortant de la brume (Little by little drawn from the mist). In this section, the music gradually crescendos and modulates upward to suggest elevation and awe. This directly leads to a climactic chorale section where the cathedral is fully on the surface. Towards the end of the piece, the cathedral sinks back into the water, and an echo of this chorale theme can be heard.

Bruyères The fifth piece of the second book of preludes, “Bruyères” (Heather) depicts the open countryside and vegegation of heathlands. To portray the panoramic landscape, Debussy takes a simpler approach to melody and harmony. Throughout the piece, he utilizes diatonic scalar melodies to create horizontal movement, which suggests the expansiveness of the landscape and other natural elements like gentle breezes and gracefully rolling hills. Debussy uses several triadic, solid chord structures, which add to the simplicity of the texture and create a feeling of openness and refreshment.

Reflets dans l’eau Debussy published two sets entitled Images, each of which contains three pieces. The opening piece of book I, “Reflets dans l’eau” (Reflections in the Water), has been widely loved and performed by pianists since its publication in 1905. Even though many consider this piece to be among his best works, Debussy did not care for it, saying, “This piece does not please me much, so I have resolved to compromise by exploring new ideas, according to the most recent discoveries in harmonic chemistry.” Debussy’s harmonic experimentation includes pentatonicism in the opening section of the piece, whole-tone passages throughout the middle section, short episodes of parallelism, and surprising altered chords that add coloristic effects. Through these contrasting sonorities, listeners can imagine the exciting, colorful, and otherwordly life vaguely reflected on the surface of the water.

L'isle joyeuse, L. 106 Composed in 1904, L'isle joyeuse (“Joyful Island”) was directly inspired by Jean-Antoine Watteau’s painting L’Embarquement de Cythère. The painting depicts a group of couples and other partygoers leaving the mythical island of Cythera, which is the birthplace of Venus, the goddess of love. When writing this piece, Debussy may have also drawn inspiration from his own life, as he had recently spent time on the Channel Island of Jersey with his soon-to-be second wife, Ema Bardac.

The formal structure and coherence of L'isle joyeuse largely depends on Debussy’s use of the whole-tone scale, the lydian scale, and the diatonic scale. Throughout the piece, Debussy explores several different textures and tone-color effects, as if he is attemping to “showcase the sonorous capacities of the piano.” The piece opens with a section marked as “quasi candenza,” consisting of a long, growing trill that is followed by a brilliant flourish. Each new section of the piece seems to explore a new color and texture, all of which depict the chaotic and ecstatic life of the island. I would like to thank the members of my Lecture Recital committee, Dr. Paul Rumrill and Dr. Tad Hardin, for offering their invaluable guidance and musical knowledge during this research project. I would also like to thank my applied piano professor, Dr. Paul Rumrill, for the time and energy he has invested into my development as a pianist. I am extremely grateful for my experience at Liberty University’s School of Music and for the relationships I have built with peers and faculty members. My fellow classmates have challenged me and provided continual support, and my professors have exemplified what it means to live for Christ while pursuing musical excellence. Most importantly, I would like to sincerely thank my husband, Connor, and the rest of my family for their constant support of my musical endeavors. “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth.”

Psalm 115:1

Caroline Petrick is a student of Dr. Paul Rumrill.

This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts in Music Education: Performance Concentration degree.

We would like to thank the Liberty University Administration for their faithful support of the School of Music.

Dr. Jerry Prevo, President Dr. Scott Hicks, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Stephen Müller, Dean, School of Music The School of Music Administration, Faculty, and Staff