La cathédrale engloutie (The Sunken Cathedrale) is a prelude written by Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918) as the tenth prelude in a series of 24 (split into two volumes).
I beg pardon for the bad sound quality and distortion, but I currently have some problems with sound recordings with linux’ pulseaudio-system.
A problem playing this piece on an electric piano like I’m doing is the technical difficulty of making it sound right. Normaly you would use a combination of all three pedals (una corda, sostenuto and sustain pedal) and a technique called “half-pedal” to achieve the “underwater effect”, Debussy intendet with his composition.
La cathédrale engloutie (The Sunken Cathedrale) is one of the more popular Debussy preludes alongside La fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair). La cathédral engloutie comprehends many characteristic for the musical impressionism Debussy is generally referred to. Most significant are the parallel harmonic cords in the bright fortissimo passage of the piece.
The name cathédrale engloutie is originated by an ancient Breton myth, the Legend of Ys, an ancient mythical city. Gradlon, the King of Cornouaille, had a daughter, Dahut, who loved the sea so much, that she requested her father to build a city below the sea level. The City was built with the name Ys, and had a dike for protection, whose gate was controlled by a key held by the king.
Ys rised to the most beautiful and impressive city in the world.
Dahut had the habit of celebrating orgies and killing her lovers at the break of dawn. Under her influence Ys rapidly turned into a pool of sin. Dahut had been warned of God’s punishment by saint people, but had ignored all of them.
One day, a red-dressed knight came to Ys. Dahut took a shine on him and one night asked him to come and spend the night with her, wich he agreed. In the middle of the night a storm broke and waves surged, smashing against the city gate. The red knight, who was no other then the devil himself, convinced Dahut to steal her fathers key to the city gate, and opened the city gate.
The indruding water engulfed Ys. King Gradlon and Dahut flew away On Morvarc’h, the kings magical horse. Saint Winwaloe stopped Gradlon and asked told him: “Push back the demon sitting behind you!”, meaning Dahut, the kings daughter. Gradlon refused but finally gave in and pushed his daughter into the sea.
It is said that the bells of the churches of Ys can still be heard in the sea calm. A legend says that when Paris will be swallowed, the city of Ys will rise up from under the waves (Par-Is meaning, in Breton, “similar to Ys” ).
Hearing of this legend has influenced Debussy to write his La cathédrale engloutie. The church bells of Ys can be heared initially, highly muted by the deep sea. As the piece goes on you can literally hear, how the church emerges from the deep sea, hearing both the increasing waves and the sharpness of the clear church bells, rising above the sea.
As the cathedral fully emerges, the great organ is heared in full fortissimo, represented by parallel harmonic cords, marking the climax of the piece. Finally the cathedral sinks back down into the ocean and the organ is heard once more, but from underwater.
The narrative character of the piece is directly linked to the musical instructions Debussy gives: Peu à peu sortant de la brume (Emerging from the fog little by little), Augmentez progressivement (Slowly growing), fortissimo and Sonore sans dureté (sonorous without durability).
Thanks for article. Everytime like to read you.
Zoran
Hi Zoran,
thanks for passing by and droping a comment. I’m glad you enjoyed your time.
All the best!
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