Sonata for violoncello and piano (Debussy)

The Sonata for violoncello and piano in minor D of Claude Debussy belongs to last works of the type-setter, written in a few days between at the end of July and at the beginning of August the 1915, at the time of the stay of Debusssy with Pourville at the seaside, in spite of the first signs of weakening of the type-setter.

Dice 1914, the type-setter, encouraged by the editor of music Jacques Durand, had had the project to write a whole of six Sonate S for various instruments, in homage to the French musicians of the 18th century. The Franco-German conflict had indeed awaked the nationalist instincts of " Claude of France " and the names of Couperin and Rameau seemed to be the necessary antidote.

In a letter with the leader Bernard Molinari, Debussy explained why the unit was to comprise " of the different combinations, the last sonata joining together the sonorities employed in the others… " . Its death, on March 25th, 1918, prevents it from concluding its project and only three sonatas out of the six envisaged are published in Durand, with a dedication in his second wife, Emma Bardac. It is known however that the fourth sonata would have been for oboe, horn and harpsichord, and the fifth for trumpet, clarinet, bassoon and piano.

Debussy preaches " imagination in the sensitivity " , vis-a-vis the tedious machines with cyclic developments and obliged chorals.

The creation of the Sonata for violoncello and piano took place the March 4th 1916 with Paris.

The had a presentiment of title was " Pierrot angry with the lune" , a probable allusion to the painter Watteau, re-examined by the Verlaine of the " Festivals galantes" . In fact, while it writing, Debussy was haunted by the arlequinades Commedia dell' arte. The composition remains a sarcastic mixture of humor and poetry melancholic person. The piano confined in a role of guide (of continuo ) leaves the good share to the violoncello, whose sonority evokes that of the Guitare or the Mandoline.

The sonata includes/understands three movements:

a Prolog which begins in the style from one opening to the Frenchwoman, proud and majestic. The piano returns quickly to its role of guide and lets open out the violoncello in solitary épanchements. A passage to agitation worries animando poco has poco brings back the initial topic. The Prolog finishes in minor D on a fifth with vacuum in the acute register of the violoncello.
the Serenade , with odd and capricious mood, is not to be evoked of it the Prelude for piano Général Lavine . On a rate/rhythm of Habanera, the violoncello provides Pizzicato S, Portando S and Harmonique S, evoking the mandoline.
the last movement Finale is connected, voluble and virtuoso, who evokes images of Spain in particular the Parfums of the night of Iberia or the worms of Mandoline of Verlaine: " Their soft blue shades whirl in the extase of the pink and gray moon and the mandoline jase among the shivers of brise" .

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