The Daily Spectrum from Saint George, Utah • Page C1

LIFE SATURDAY i 3.7.15 i PAGE C1 HE PECTRUM AILY EWS THESPECTRUM.COM SOUTHERN UTAH DAVID CORDERO i EDITOR CULTURE TRENDS i 674-6248 i Regarded as one of the quintessential composers of the 20th century, French composer laude Debussy (1862-1918) reated a brilliant musical style all his own, although, the art a nd literature of his day un- uestionably influenced his creations. ebussy often discussed music with words and phrases borrowed from the visual and iterary arts, and he talked about musical scores as if they were pictures, poems, and plays. He admired the works of William Shakespeare and treasured for 30 years a plan to rite accompanying music for play You Like Debussy even em- arked upon adapting two stories from Edgar Allan Poe into musical theater: Devil in the (Le diable dans le effroi) and Fall of the House of (La chute de la maison Usher), although these projects were never finished and only fragments re- ain. Achille-Claude Debussy was orn into a family of humble origins in a little town just utside Paris. His father, who had served a number of years in the marine infantry, reamed of making his son a mariner, but relatives discovered the young clear ear for music and arranged for him to study piano.

He was but 10 when he en- ered the Paris Conservatory where he often astonished his professors with what they alled that defied all rules. When queried by one of his teachers what rules he observed, Debussy replied, but my At such a young age, this prodigy initially seemed misunderstood. At the outset, Debussy in- ended to be a concert pianist, but after failing two piano ex- a minations in 1878 and 1879, he turned to composition and, after winning two prestigious composition competitions, he studied at the Villa de Medici in ome for three years. age 22, style and methods of composition eemed established. It was then commented to a friend, music I desire must be supple nough to adapt itself to the lyrical effusions of the soul and the fantasy of hese lyrical effusions and fantasy of dreams appear no more evident than in one of his most recognized works, de (Moonlight), which is actually the third movement of our of the bergamas- for solo piano.

Debussy composed this work in 1890, but did not publish it until 1905. Iremember where I was when I first heard de A student of one of our most prestigious piano teachers performed this lovely piece in our little country school. We all stood entranced, while, in perfect pia- issimo, our prodigy played the variations with intensity uite a feat for a fifth-grader. Primarily the movement is played in D-flat major, except for the climax, which changes to C-sharp minor. Described by any as the most beautiful ong in the world, de appears to be a gift del ivered from heaven.

erhaps philosophy of music is best reflected i a letter of advice to a student: impressions. Do not be in a hurry to write them own. That is something music can do better than painting. It can centralize variations of color and light within a single picture a truth generally A lthough harmonies of mathematical structuring were considered radical in is day, he influenced nearly every composer of the 20th century from Igor Stravinsky to modern jazz musicians. Great are the contributions of this extraordinary musician.

Source: The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Abernathy is an educator a nd arts advocate. Please con- act her at music- Debussy: Composer ofcolor and light JJ Abernathy Music Times Over the years of writing this column, noticed a lack of work ethic in many young people encountered. Other business owners have told me that they share the same concern. My assistant Morgan Condie recently received his bachelors degree in psychology and will be heading off to graduate school to pursue his license in counseling and therapy.

Because a member of this generation, I asked for his thoughts i my column. noticed a disturbing trend with generation, which a part of. My eers seem to believe they a re entitled to just about a nything and everything. Whether it be a high grade they think they deserve or great pay for minimal and hoddy work, my generation elieves everything is des erved; if we do not have it, then we simply take it. think that we, as a generation, have forgotten that are not entitled to every single desire of our whims ical hearts.

I worked as a teaching assistant and tutor a Southern Utah University for about two years. What I experienced astonished me. who did noth- i ng other than come to class semi-regularly would dem and a grade change based solely on the idea that they were entitled to it. Recalling agroup that demanded such, I remember saying, now why should this hap- en? Did you study or even read the textbook, attend study and test preparation sessions, ask for help from the tutor, get tutoring, or ven study besides a couple days before the our entitled and egotistical beliefs, everything just be given to my generation. Perhaps it has something to do with my upbringing, but I truly be- ieve this entitled form of thinking is wrong and an ultimately destructive perception.

Something must change about the way my generation thinks. Society annot function with a majority demanding something for nothing or a token effort, with the minority who believes otherwise supplying verything taken by the majority. is only so much hat can be taken, credit or otherwise, from the current, or soon to be, minority and hose who built the foundation of our country. There is only so much that can be eeched before everything that was worked so hard for i gone. will find it impossible to flip natures and ecome a provider when it is necessitated; not that it would matter in a society that just leeches from any available source.

The future looks grim if we follow this track, and my fear is that eventually the choice will be taken from us, because too many people will feel entitled. is up to my generation to change its attitude. We must prevent the worst from I you enjoy columns and writing, visit her website and blog for more at corrielynneplayer.com. You ay also contact her at heavenhelpusbeour- Corrie Lynne Player Heaven Help Us Entitlement mentality needs to change THEN NOW In July of 1992, renovation work on the building just east of the Electric Theater on Tabernacle St. revealed the old store fronts as can be seen in the then i mage taken by Spectrum photographer Nancy Rhodes.

According to the St. George Historic Preservation Commission plaque on the building, the original date of the construction of the Nelson-Mathis Mercantile is unknown but it does date to the early part of the 20th century. The store is now home to the Hope Chest Thrift Store as can be seen in the now image taken by Spectrum photographer Jud Burkett..