The arabesque, a crucial component of nineteenth-century aesthetics characterized by recurring patterns of interlocking geometric and floral ornamentation, was found in a wide range of forms of artistic expression and played a pivotal role in the music of Claude Debussy. Divine Arabesque explores the arabesque in Debussy's music and reveals its profound influence on his musical repertoire and on the works of other Symbolist artists and writers.
Taking as his starting point a discussion of the short manifesto Debussy published in "La Revue blanche" in 1901, author Matthew Brown embarks on a thorough and comprehensive analysis of Debussy's works across all phases of his career and genres - from his early songs and piano pieces to mature orchestral compositions and late works. Along the way, Brown unveils the intertextual connections between Debussy's compositions and the works of such Symbolist artists as Edgar Allan Poe, Richard Wagner, Charles Baudelaire, Stéphane Mellarmé, Vaslav Nijinsky, and others.
Featuring a rich collection of music examples and illustrations, Divine Arabesque sheds new light on the full range of Debussy's musical output and establishes his critical role in ushering in the age of Modernism.
| ISBN: | 9780253074560 |
| Publication date: | 28th May 2026 |
| Author: | Matthew Brown |
| Publisher: | Indiana University Press |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 542 pages |
| Genres: |
History of music Composers and songwriters Theory of music and musicology |
The arabesque, a crucial component of nineteenth-century aesthetics characterized by recurring patterns of interlocking geometric and floral ornamentation, was found in a wide range of forms of artistic expression and played a pivotal role in the music of Claude Debussy. Divine Arabesque explores the arabesque in Debussy's music and reveals its profound influence on his musical repertoire and on the works of other Symbolist artists and writers.
Taking as his starting point a discussion of the short manifesto Debussy published in "La Revue blanche" in 1901, author Matthew Brown embarks on a thorough and comprehensive analysis of Debussy's works across all phases of his career and genres - from his early songs and piano pieces to mature orchestral compositions and late works. Along the way, Brown unveils the intertextual connections between Debussy's compositions and the works of such Symbolist artists as Edgar Allan Poe, Richard Wagner, Charles Baudelaire, Stéphane Mellarmé, Vaslav Nijinsky, and others.
Featuring a rich collection of music examples and illustrations, Divine Arabesque sheds new light on the full range of Debussy's musical output and establishes his critical role in ushering in the age of Modernism.
Divine Arabesque features in the following genres: History of music, Composers and songwriters, Theory of music and musicology
Divine Arabesque is available in Paperback, Hardback
Divine Arabesque was written by Matthew Brown and published by Indiana University Press
Divine Arabesque has 542 pages
£58.50