This past Thursday, Michigan students saw the first snow of the season. While it did not last long, having some snow is better than none. Last year, snow came earlier than this year, so it feels weird that there is not a lot of snow. Why am I waiting for more snow? What about snow makes it so special to see? For me, an out of state student from Colorado, I miss seeing snow so often. Yet, the reason for snow being so special to me goes beyond this reason. I see snow and music correlated together. I feel nostalgia when I see snow falling. Both snow and music have a sense of beauty and fluidity that has layers of complexity. For snow, a snowfall can start gentle and slowly heighten as it builds layers. With music, a piece can start calm and build up to the climax. The swirling of snowflakes in the air, as they fall in a gentle motion, mirrors music as musicians have the power to interpret the piece any way they want. The notes can be soft and quiet, much like the mood a snowfall gives, and it could be light and mantle in the way a piece is played.
I immediately thought of Debussy’s “The Snow is Dancing“, as quite literally the name of the piece describes snow. The structure of the piece itself captures the “dance” of snow with its shimmering effect and delicate flowing patterns of the snow falling onto the ground. The piece also has a moment, climax, where the snow grows harsher and the winds become cruel. This evokes the feeling of heavy Michigan snowfalls, as it becomes impossible to walk to class. It then quiets and calms down, however, at the end of the piece, emphasizing the delicacy and stillness of snow falling.
