however, is surely Romantic in the broad sense of the term,i.e.,
highly imaginative and individual.]
But can any connection with the past be traced in the style of
this remarkable[291] composer, and can we discover any sources,
in the world of nature, from which he has derived the materials
for his novel and fascinating harmonies? When we definitely
analyze Debussy’s harmonic scheme, we see that he looks both
forward and back. Much of his original tone coloring is derived
from the old church modes such as the Lydian, the Dorian and
the Phrygian; for example, the mysterious opening chords of his
opera, and the following passage fromLa Cathédrale engloutie.
[Footnote 291: Thetrès exceptionnel, très curieux, très solitaire
Claude Debussyas he has been aptly characterized.]
[Music]
He is also extremely fond of a scale of whole tones, which had
been somewhat anticipated by Liszt and members of the Rus-
sian[292] school. In this the normal perfect 4th and 5th and the
major 6th become augmented, thus producing a very peculiar
but alluring harmonic basis.
[Music]
[Footnote 292: The first authentic use being probably by Dar-
gomijsky in his opera theStone Guest.]
[Music]
[Music:Reflets dans l’eau]
Modern composers have been feeling for some time that har-
monic scope was needlessly limited by clinging too closely to
the major and minor diatonic scales; and Brahms, Tchaikowsky
and Franck have all introduced the old modes for special con-
trasts of color. But no one has used them so subtly as Debussy.
In his music they often take the place of our customary scales
with their deep-rooted harmonic tendencies and perpetual sug-
gestion of traditional cadences. This return to the greater flex-
ibility and variety of the old modes is a significant feature in
modern music and Debussy’s example in this respect has been
highly beneficial. As to his alleged use of new material, an as-
tute French critic has observed that “a revolution is merely an
evolution rendered apparent.” By no means all of music can
be found in nature, but the basis is there, and it remains for