“The essence of Debussy’s musical personality is in the songs and they exhibit virtually every aspect of his art.” — Oscar Thompson, Debussy: Man and Artist.
Had Claude Debussy (1862–1918) been exclusively a composer of songs, his musical reputation would have been assured. Although his output was not large, he achieved a new style in the setting of poetry and poetic prose — an exquisite union of words and music characterized by innovation, simplicity, impeccable taste, and consummate workmanship. From such early favorites as “Beau Soir” and “Mandoline” his masterful later works, the composer achieved a new psychological penetration through understatement — a music precisely imagined yet fluid, superbly constructed yet untrammeled by the past.
This Dover volume contains a rich selection of 36 of Debussy’s best songs, nearly a quarter century’s worth of compositions that embody his exceptional empathy for poetry and his genius for expressing its essence in music. Contents include “Beau Soir,” “Deux romances,” “Mandoline,” “Les Angelus,” “Trois chansons de Bilitis,” “Dans le jardin,” “Cinq poemes de Baudelaire,” and more. For singers, Debussy’s songs offer special pleasure in their simplicity, making the song’s message more easily conveyed. For pianists, the music presents interesting and independent melodies that contribute vastly to the atmosphere and expression of the text. For all lovers of art songs, those of Debussy are a brilliant and innovative addition to the genre. This volume, reproduced directly from original sheet music, makes them available at low cost to all devotees.
‘Beau Soir’ (text by Paul Bourget)”Mandoline’ (text by Paul Verlaine)’Ariettes Oubliées (text by Paul Verlaine)
1. ‘C est l extase’
2. ‘Il pleure dans mon cœur’
3. ‘L ombre des arbres’
4. ‘Paysages belges: Chevaux de bois’
5. ‘Aquarelles 1: Green’
6. ‘Aquarelles 2: Spleen’
Cinq poëmes de Baudelaire (text by Charles Baudelaire)
1. ‘Le Balcon’
2. ‘Harmonie du Soir’
3. ‘Le Jet d Eau’
4. ‘Recueillement’
5. ‘La Mort des Amants’
‘Les Angelus’ (text by Grégoire Le Roy)’
‘Dans le Jardin’ (text by Paul Gravollet)’
Deux romances (text by Paul Bourget)
1. ‘Romance: ‘L âme évaporée’
2. ‘Les Cloches’
Fêtes galantes (1st collection) (text by Paul Verlaine)
1. ‘En sourdine’
2. ‘Fantoches’
3. ‘Clair de lune’`
Trois mélodies (text by Paul Verlaine)
1. ‘La mer est plus belle que les cathédrales’
2. ‘Le son du cor s afflige vers les bois’
3. ‘L échelonnement des haies moutonne à l infini’
Proses lyriques (text by composer)
1. ‘De rêve’
2. ‘De grève’
3. ‘De fleurs’
4. ‘De soir’
Trois chansons de Bilitis (text by Pierre Louÿs)
1. ‘La flûte de Pan’
2. ‘La Chevelure’
3. ‘Le tombeau des naïades’
Trois chansons de France
1. ‘Rondel’ (‘Le temps a laissié son manteau’. text by Charles d Orléans)’
2. ‘La Grotte’ (text by Tristan Lhermite)’
3. ‘Rondel’ (‘Pour ce que Plaisance est morte. text by Charles d Orléans)’
Fêtes galantes (2nd collection) (text by Paul Verlaine)
1. ‘Les ingénus’
2. ‘Le Faune’
3. ‘Colloque sentimental’