Préludes Book 2: II. Feuilles Mortes, Claude Debussy

There is no better time to write about Debussy’s piano prélude, “Feuilles Mortes” (translated to “Dead Leaves”) than the middle of October in Boston, Massachuests. This piece’s application of both harmonic and textural fragility, in addition to the nuance of its fleeting rhythmicality, lends itself beautifully to its own title. “Feuilles Mortes” can best be analyzed through its different compositional levels; those being global, medial, and local level details. The experience of the piece, however, emerges out of the intersectionality and manipulation of these levels by Debussy. It is evidenced by the listening experience that the locality of the piece (i.e., articulation, individual pitch material, rhythm, ect.) punctures through both of the higher levels: medial (scalar pitch collection, harmonic progression, pitch locale and range, musical motives, ect.) and global (form, texture, and experiential temporality). For this reason, I will begin analysis by looking at the important local materials of the piece, and track them as they punctuate the higher respective levels into globality. 

In terms of individual pitch material, there is almost no semblance of a traditional key signature, despite the inclusion of one in the beginning of the piece. The pitches selected by Debussy are simply a means to an end for an effect, or a “mode-state”. To use his own words, “music is not a collection of notes, but rather the character that binds them together.” Despite the potential redundancy of including pitch in the locality analysis of this piece due to its inherent habituality in the global level of composition, it is important to note that the selection of pitches in service of a mode-state is a trait pioneered by Debussy in his music and was atypical before him; preceding composers did not select pitch with the sole intent that it would be in-service of an overall mode-state in a piece. If so, any previous, equally accomplished and revolutionary composer, such as Beethoven, would have abolished major and minor tonalities long before Debussy had the chance to. 

To see how Debussy’s choices of individual pitch material pierced the globality of the piece so effectively, the medial must be observed as it describes the harmonic structure and horizontal crafting of voices. In terms of harmonic structure, there is several instances of polychords, evidenced first by the beginning sonority of a F diminished triad superimposed with an E major triad. This results in a finely controlled dissonance, one that can be correlated to the controlled dissonance of nature during the autumn and the presence of frail, dying leaves. We then pass through several instances of consonant “clearings” through these passages of dissonance. A clearing is achieved by the inclusion of pentatonic sonorities as well as non-functional and harmonic cadences, along with textural and rhythmic cadences as well. These passages and clearings define the form of the piece and launch it to the final level of musical cognition for the listener, globality.

Because there is an absence of accessible functionality in the harmony, the listener must rely on the accumulated dissonance and texture, and then the lack thereof, to navigate the global experience of the piece in a meaningful and fulfilling way. This accumulation mimics a tension and release that is typical of functional harmonic progressions. Utilizing this method of form (i.e., the accumulation of dissonance and textural density) oppose to that of typical harmonic functionality allows the listener to not only perceive the sonorities with interest, but also to experience the passage of time at varying frequencies and speeds; yet another trait inherent to Debussy’s style and this piano Prélude specifically.

It is not immediately evident that Debussy is actively dialoguing with the past tradition of keyboard préludes, but upon further examination, beyond that of the dissonant sonorities, complex textures, and unique formality, the globality of the work seems to closely resemble that of keyboard preludes of the past, especially if the scope of vision is extended beyond this specific movement. The fact these preludes are short works that intend on depicting a certain mode exemplifies this dialogue, not to mention that this collection adheres to the tradition of the typical twelve or twenty-four movements. Although Debussy is not engaging with minor and major keys, as Bach did in his piano preludes and fugues previously, Debussy’s exploration of sonority, effect, harmony, form, and emotional elicitation are all within the same vein as composers of the past that engaged in this the tradition of composing piano preludes.

Carson Zuck,

October 13, 2024