Originally posted by jayne lee wilson
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I often wonder what might have become of French music in the 20th century had not Debussy come along. I have a feeling that the contemporaries of Magnard such as Dukas, Chausson, d'Indy and the French organ school would have pushed it in more of a post-Wagnerian direction than the tempered one that Debussy represented. though probably with some continuation of the muted influence from Russian composers detectable in Saint-Saens, for example. In various ways Debussy and Ravel channelled Satie's more starkly enunciated harmonic discoveries through their own somehow more palatable sensibilities, so that it was only come the disillusionment following the First World War that the latter's influence would be exerted on the next generation.
And without Debussy's influence, what would have become of Russian modern music?? Speculations, speculations - I'd better shut up now!
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