Hoffman, Richard. "College Music Symposium." Debussy's Canope as Narrative Form. N.p., 01 Oct. 2002. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.
History The Debussy piano prelude X. Canope is nothing short of mysterious. Despite the research I have done regarding the title, the results I have found are still only speculation. Not only is the title full of mystery, but the piece itself leaves the listener in awe and wonder. The titles Debussy chose for his preludes are actually almost afterthoughts or subtitles. The piece starts with the roman numeral X, is followed with an ellipses (...) and finally "Canope." As if this isn't curious enough, at the end of the movement, Debussy ends it with "(...Canope)." According to my online sources, Canope is a reference to Ancient Egyptian canopic jars; the urns the Egyptians used to store organs during and after the mummification process, and even possibly the city Canopus which was in the Nile Delta Region. Analysis The piece starts with an introduction from measures 1-7. This introduction (Section A) includes d minor and D-Dorian right next to each other. The next few measures go through a series of stacked chord progressions that eventually come full circle back to D. The second section (B) starts a span of four episodes that result in the peak of the piece in measure 20. The first episode, measures 7-11, begins in the key of D. Measures 7 and 8 set the motive and 9 and 10 are just a repetition. Each episode is separated by its own unique melody and rhythm. Towards the end of each episode, the motive is repeated which allows for a slight change to initiate the transition to the next section. Episode 2 or Section C begins in the key of G. The melody line alternates between E-flat and E-natural and B and B flat in the underlying harmonies which creates the "modal ambivalence." The step-wise motion at the end of measure 13 allows the piece to transition to Episode 3. The lower register, new melodic rhythmic movement, and texture change are an indication of the unique motive Debussy is using in this episode. Again, we see the internal repetition, and measure 15 is an exact replication of measure 14. The E-flat grace note that disturbs the sustained F chord leads the piece into section E. Episode 4 (Section D) measures 17-20, leads the listener to the climax of the piece. This is the least melodic section, and has a dynamic change to pianissimo and yet another change in range and texture. The repeated grace notes create parallel lines, and the restatement of the motive at the end of the section starts with a grace note on A but ends on G to transition to the restatement of section B (B', measures 21-23). Measures 24-25, or Section F re-establishes the past sections in a new light. This section could be analyzed in the key of E-flat, or D, which is the "tonal center" of the prelude. Through the half-steps and pitches utilized in these two measures, Debussy hints at each of the four episodes by highlighting their tonal centers, D, G, C, and A. Measure 26 or Section A' restates the music heard in the introduction, but in a lower richer register. This change of register signifies a calmer version of the initial melody which represents to the listener that we are almost to the conclusion of the piece. The final section (Section C') much like the section beforehand, restates the tonal centers of the four episodes, this time in ascending fifths with the addition of A in the melody. The piece ends on C, whose foundation is found in the bass voice. This is surprising because up until now, the suspected tonal center of the prelude was D. However, despite the C foundation in the bass, A, D, and G frame the melody, and are all easier on the ear. Regardless of the ambiguity, the ending makes sense, because it contains key elements of each of the four episodes. (...Canope) |