La fille aux cheveux de lin - Prelude by Claude Debussy
José Rodríguez Alvira
Harmonic color
This prelude is a good example of how Debussy uses chords to give color to his music.
The first time that we hear this theme, it appears almost without any accompaniment. Only a plagal cadence to Gb Major appears at the end of the phrase.
Robert Ståhlbrand, piano - Piano Society - www.pianosociety.com
The next time two dominant seventh chords in 3rd inversion are used. The phrase ends with a V-I cadence to Gb Major.
Robert Ståhlbrand, piano - Piano Society - www.pianosociety.com
In measures 24 and 25 the theme appears with some variations. The chords used are formed with notes of the pentatonic scale. Note that intervals other that thirds are used in these chords:
Robert Ståhlbrand, piano - Piano Society - www.pianosociety.com
Finally, in measures 28 - 30 the melody appears over a Cb major chord:
Robert Ståhlbrand, piano - Piano Society - www.pianosociety.com
