Type of Document	Master's Thesis
Author	Peiser, Sacha Alexandra Grace
URN	etd-06102009-141512
Title	Les Mains Désenlaceuses: Unlocking the Relationship of Text and Music in the Proses Lyriques
Degree	Master of Music (M.M.)
Department	Music
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title David H. Smyth Committee Chair Jeffrey Perry Committee Member Lori Bade Committee Member
Keywords	pitch class whole tone reductive analysis text and music song debussy music theory
Date of Defense	2009-05-01
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract This thesis examines Claude Debussy’s Proses Lyriques, a set of four chansons published in 1895. These songs were composed during a pivotal time in the composer’s life—concurrent with Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, the String Quartet, and the commencement of work on Pelléas et Mélisande. Also noteworthy is that out of a complete output of over 90 songs, these are the only published works with both text and music by the composer. Because of this unique property, the Proses Lyriques allows researchers, analysts, and performers to gain valuable insight into Debussy’s intertwining of music and text. This thesis utilizes various methods of analysis, and each song is examined in great detail. The study utilizes poetic analysis, motivic and reductive analysis, and Debussy’s use of various collections and harmonies as means to tell a story. In addition, recurrent musical themes throughout the song set are highlighted and given specific narrative function. Lastly, the disparate musical and textual elements from each song are woven together in an attempt to bind all four songs into a complete unit and discover Debussy’s overarching compositional themes.
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