Debussy Listening "Prelude to the Essay

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And the goal of Impressionist painting is always just that -- to given an impression, rather than to suggest a coherent, linear picture of experience. Impressionists depicted emotions and subjective concepts, rather than attempted to convey a singular view. There is no 'point' to Monet's paintings of water lilies; there is merely the artist's reflection on color. The story goes nowhere in "Prelude to the afternoon of a faun," but the atmospheric canvas of light, shade, and sound creates a scene. Backdrops rather than plot; emotions and desires and dreams rather than clear movements characterize this Impressionistic work of art.

The original inspiration of the work was a poem by the French poet Mallmarme. However, the poem's uncertainty and daydream-like quality is not a literal 'synthesis' of the poem (Lloyd 154). Instead, Debussy created something entirely new in his work. The music allows for a greater ambiguity in its composition than words could ever express.

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The uncertainty of what is a dream, what is real, what is the composer's vision of the faun, what is supposed to be an 'actual' faun, and with whom the faun is interacting is never resolved. Music allows for this greater plasticity that is not permitted in words.

Debussy's work is relatively short -- only ten minutes -- much like the poem that inspired it. However, it has become more memorable and influential than the original source. Its dialogue of instruments makes the work accessible for ordinary listeners. However, on an interpretive level, the work is far more complex than it initially appears. The work resists a singular interpretation, just as Debussy resisted creating a….....

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