Abstract

Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894), better known for his piano and other instrumental works, composed 25 mélodies during his lifetime. His mélodies, along with his other works and his overall philosophy, are cited by later composers as essential influences on their works and style. This document explores Emmanuel Chabrier's background and musical works, influences on his style, his relationships with the painter Édouard Manet and other literary and artistic figures of his time, and his mélodies. His mélodies are examined to explore their parallels to the works of Manet, and their evidence of the transition toward Impressionism in the visual arts and eventually music. For each mélodie, a literal translation and an International Phonetic Alphabet transliteration are included, so that the document may be used as a performance practice aid. Within various sections, Chabrier's influence on the composers who followed him is briefly examined. In viewing Chabrier's mélodies from this perspective, it is possible to see many parallels between Manet and Chabrier as transitional figures in their respective fields.