Finite Piano Keyboards and Infinite Imagery in Music: On the Imagery of Debussy's Piano Music

10.2478/bjlp-2022-001060

Abstract

Imagery in music is the combination of the artistic idea and image of music. It
emphasizes most on the harmonious unity of the subject's emotion with the aesthetic object.
Through the studies on the imagery of piano playing, this paper tries to achieve such a goal:
when people create, perform and enjoy piano music, what they can find are not only the
excellent skills but also a musical image, not only the dancing notes but also a beautiful
musical image. it is no longer just the piano keyboard, but a clear musical image can be
seen; it is no longer just the notes of the piano, but a beautiful musical image can be
appreciated. This paper clarifies the connotation of the imagery in Debussy’s music and five
types of “imagery”, discusses four characteristics and explains three methods of studying
the imagery in Debussy's piano playing.