Manifestations of the “non-classical” in the orchestral manner of C. Debussy

Abstract

The relevance. Multidirectionality of artistic searches in the musical art of the first half of the XX century fully complies with the worldview and values of European culture of that time. The change of perception of the world, matter, time and space is objectified in the sound matter of musical works. Among the composers who have a defining role in paving the ways for new music, we should mention C. Debussy.
 The purpose of the article is to identify and systematize of “non-classical” features in the orchestral manner of C. Debussy.
 The novelty of the article is the study of the orchestral manner specifics of C. Debussy as “non-classical” in certain traits.
 The methodology. The article uses functional, historical, comparative, analytical and complex methods. The theoretical basis of the study are the works of V. Bobrovskyi (2018), H. Golovynskyi (1981), S. Iskhakova (1998), L. Kokoreva (2010), S. Mozhot (2006).
 The result. Extrapolation of scientific statements of V. Bobrovskyi, H. Golovynskyi, S. Iskhakova, L. Kokoreva, S. Mozhot to the sphere of orchestral thinking and orchestral manner of C. Debussy allowed to reveal signs of “non-classical” as the ones that draw a boundary between the principles of classical-romantic orchestration (based on functional harmony) and new music of the XX century. It is the “non-classical” features that allow to create a new sound matter, a new perception of space and time in the orchestral works of the composer. In our opinion, the manifestations of the “non-classical” are: 1) functional restructuring of the orchestral texture on the basis of non-hierarchy as the dominant principle; 2) building a dense, “concrete” in terms of eventfulness and, at the same time, light (massless), broad musical space, 3) levelling the boundary between the exposing (more integral and continuous) type of orchestration and developing (smaller, dialogical, discrete); 4) interpenetration of continuity and discreteness (discrete continuity) at the level of thematics and orchestration as a consequence of erasing the boundary between the functions of background and relief and the exposing and developing orchestration types.
 The practical significance. The results of the work can be applied in the training courses “History of orchestral styles”, “History of foreign music”, which are studied in higher education institutions; in further scientific researches.