CHARACTERISTICS OF DUET POLYPHONY IN TEXURE K. DEBUSSY`S PIANO PRELUDES

Abstract

The article examines the phenomenon of duet polyphony – a component of the piano texture known for the work of the outstanding Polish romantic composer Frederic Chopin. Claude Debussy's piano preludes "Delphi Dancers", "Sails", "Footsteps in the Snow", "Screech" were chosen as the material for analysis. It is noted that the genre of the prelude in the piano heritage of the French artist is the leading one, it embodies the features of the composer's style and represents a specific, in many respects innovative complex of techniques of expressiveness. In the analyzed preludes of K. Debussy, which researchers call symbolist versions of "Chopinism", the traditions of the genre are traced, including the example of duet polyphony. It has been proven that in the preludes of K. Debussy, one can observe sophisticated lyrical chamberness and quasi-improvisational texture, which comes from the piano works of F. Chopin and in which duet polyphony is born. The analysis of the selected preludes proved numerous examples of the interpretation of duet polyphony of the Chopin type as a specific form of two voices, which combined the features of polyphonic counterpoint and romantic instrumental duet. It is pointed out that the carrier of thematism in the preludes is textured lines that unfold more in space than in time, that they become the basis of the voices of instrumental duets, the composition of which is constantly changing. According to tradition, this happens with the participation of accompanying harmonic voices. Such features of Chopin's duet polyphony as the compact placement of voices, the activation of the undertone at the moment of slowing down in the leading melodic voice, the presence of a bass in the lowest textured register, and the chord structure in the accompanying voices are preserved. It is concluded that the essence of duet polyphony in K. Debussy's preludes is revealed in the symbolic interpretation of the modified programming, which is aimed at by means of the piano texture.