"Reverie"

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews Claude Debussy's musical masterpiece, "Reverie", which was written during the late 19th century. It discusses how the tone and feel of Debussy's "Reverie" is different from that experienced by the listener upon hearing Billy Joel's "Reverie," part of his album, "Fantasies and Delusions", which was released in 2001. The paper shows how it is Joel's attempt at paying homage to a classical artist whose works he admired and who had influenced him early on in his training as a musician and how the song, reminiscent of Debussy's piece, has a different melody and is stronger in tone and louder than Debussy's work.

From the Paper:

"The music moves slowly and deliberately, and yet with a rhythm that brings to mind water flowing and bubbling in a fountain. As the song continues, the music becomes more wavelike in tone. The way the music "while still remaining soft and tranquil " moves back and forth in a slight crescendo only to die away again can't help but make the listener think of waves. However, these are not the crashing waves of a beach, but rather the waves that might lap the shores of a small lake. This is not a piece that lends itself well to lyrics. Instead, it urges the listener to do what is suggested by the title and simply drift away, letting one's thoughts move off where they will like clouds blowing across the sky."

More papers on "Reverie":

• Analytical Essay # 131201 : "Debussy's "Reverie"
• Term Paper # 101227 : "Claude Debussy"
• Comparison Essay # 49396 : "Comparative Analysis of Three "Stories"

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