New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-01-16
Claude Achille Debussy
Seen as Musical Critic
In Memorial Number of La Revue Musicale NJ G.
Jean.Aubry Discusses the Critical Writings
Of she Late Composer

rcrtant series is that published in LIZ
Revue Blanche. Debussy thought it
worth while to make excerpts from.
these articles for his contributions to
Gil Bias. Later, when he becam. a
ccllsbcrator Of Sim, he had long ceased
to write criticisms, and as he was al
ready prey to the malady which was
to carry him off these later articles
necessarily bear the trace. Of Ger
tain lassitude.
characteristics of nebu.sy's Criticisms
"Debussy's criticism in reality re-
sembles that of no other writer. It is
Rs far removed from the superficial
manner Of the chroniclers as it is fror.
the dagmstisnn of the specialists. His
writings have neither the passionate
exclamatcry note of BerNoz nor the
authoritative statements Of WAGNER.
There is no trace cf the s;nuous pene-
trating movement Of Baudelarian cr;ti-
cism. He does net seek in. other arts
although entirely familiar to him, FOR
singular and profitable assistance. Els
criticism Is not extended or develored.
He says what he means briefly. .o~ir;
nally, bltingly, in style animated, yet
slightly crampsd by discretion which
now and then was capable Of BREAKING
bounds. To tell the truth, those who
knew Debussv realize that he talked
in the sans fashion and that his init
mate letters bear NO other stan.pmanS
tone. Therefore he did not force HIM
self, TO write this way. There was no
application Or artisce, no obedience to
& certain literary form, as may be no.
ticed IN his Prose Lv~iques If ors
must look for his literary antecsdsnt
IN style it cannct be done by turning
t. Baudelaire, or verlaine. or to any
slhsr poet or prose writer ot this gen.
dfaticn, even to tbs writers VII . isV s1
ns5lSsy freousrted the sack roaSs5 81
Ne he, = ,bsairis de NA~t dsgendaSt ssa
ra .tsy by turning to ths Notes a.td;2Ss.
a Inequalities e; Legsndaires of JUGS. IH
forguss for whom he had q gres aass-
.tlSNS'snd with whom h.s.had cs:St4fs
eii.n-e!es In2t nave not--E.l tai3tes.-
- been sufficiently emphasized. ~ -
= =. :. :.+Debussy's Life and Works j., :
--e@@Thsoughout almost al :of Deb, ss 81
WRITINGS there reigns sly good hun.or
"h'ch often created an illusion. It has
been too long thought that he sought to
be clever at the expense Of music IN,
musicians. Nc one ha. taken +4,e
trouble to find out the affection .7,r,
SION and wisdom that Law behind his
smile.
Accustomed as one is to criticism,
that knows nothing beyond the crit.
c'sm ct oren arms or of closed fists
It mas not been realized that without
BENG a slave to tradition It is nos
sfnle to speak ones mind without re.
gard for fetiches or creeds,
Tone of Liberty the Moving Shirt
"rhs love of liberty is the bas. and
crown Of the spirit Of Debussy. Like
AZ French spirits worthy of the name.
Debussy had nc love for disorder in tn
destructive sense, or for the overflow
ing etfuslons Of revolutionary nh;,sn-
throrists, but for a secret discin1ire
self-lmpcsed. rot by councils and com
m'ttees' but By life itself in its multiple
forms, the life of the spirit as well az
the senses, the life of things IS well
az Of men.
In spite Of submitting to the rules
OF the ccnservatories, in spite Of wins
ning the highest recompense that could
be awarded to young musician nr
tbs Institute, he contracted no taste
for precepts or ferules. He was net
like Bizet, who in his letters showed
himself greedy for authority ard hen.
crs. He did not rise up violently
against barriers. rs avoided them,
escaped them. Ee desired no other
constraint than that of his own incli-
nations and nature. He had the I,a+;r
habit OF constantly seeing art in re-
lst'on to life, and did not permit him
self to wander after confused meta
physics or cold litera lures.
His Conception of French Music
x VI HllN LHe WCfQe French music
were not a ready made expression, or
the type Of chauvinisme, narrow and de-
vcld Of taste, that arose during the war
and has persisted since peace was de-
clared. All his instinct and all his med
itatlcn were directed toward the con-
s'deraticn of what IS good or harmful to
French music. He knew that our trad,-
tons themselves command Us TO watch
what is being done outside Of our from
tiers, to appreciate it and to recognize
it, but that they also demand Of us that
We defend ourselves and maintain firmly
those particular virtues that can alone
assure the durationNof our works.
Because people saw only in hin, .
complex musician, excessively refined,
morbid and vague, which was not at al
the case, it was thought that he vas
Joking when he published his taste for
Gounod and Masssnst Paradox and
again paradox was the comment.
Some of His Aamsrat;ons
"He loved Bach with unfsthomah,s
tenderness Bach. who contains rr;+h;c