Claude Debussy, who once said he learned more from poets and painters than from the music conservatory, is considered the figurehead of Impressionist music (though he would vehemently argue against it). Influenced by Bach’s arabesques and the romantic Chopin, the Frenchman made his mark in music with his otherworldly compositions, beginning with Danse Bohemienne. While we listen to his compositions Bill reflects on Debussy’s peculiar upbringing, studies in the Paris conservatory, and his Prix de Rome win.
Debussy, Claude
Banks of the Seine, Vétheuil 1880 by Claude Monet.
Playlist
Episode 1
Debussy, Claude: Preludes, Bk. 1: La fille aux cheveux de lin
Krystian Zimerman, piano
CLAUDE DEBUSSY
DG 435773-2
2:12
Debussy, Claude: Nocturnes for Orchestra; Fêtes (excerpt)
LA Philharmonic/Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Concerto For Orchestra / Sinfonietta
Sony 58952
2:34
Chabrier, Emmanuel: Pieces Pittoresque; Mauresque
Alain Planes, piano
Oeuvres Pour Piano
HM 901465
1:48
Debussy, Claude: Danse Bohemienne
Martin Jones, piano
Complete Piano Works, Volume One
Nimbus 5160
2:01
Debussy, Claude: “Beau Soir”
Renee Fleming, soprano; Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
Night Songs
London 2 89467697
2:46
Debussy, Claude: “En Sourdine”
Victoria De Los Angeles, soprano; Gonzalo Soriano, piano
Ravel, Debussy, Duparc
EMI 65061
2:59
Debussy, Claude: “Salut Printemps”
Orch de Paris/ Daniel Barenboim
DEBUSSY La Damoiselle Elue ORCH DE PARIS BARENBOIM
DG 2531 263
1:05
Debussy, Claude: Petite Suite; “En Bateau”
Robert & Gaby Casadesus, piano
Petite suite (4), for piano, 4 hands
Sony 52527
4:10
Claude Debussy arr. Büsser: Petite Suite; Ballet
ORTF/ Martinon
Orchestral Works – II
EMI 72673
3:04
Debussy, Claude: La damoiselle élue
BSO/Ozawa Graham, ms; McNair, s
Debussy For Daydreaming: Music To Caress Your Innermost Thoughts
Phil 446683-2
18:16
Debussy, Claude: Arabesque No. 1: Andantino con moto
Stolzman, clarinet; Allen, harp
Romance – Debussy, Poulenc, Saint-Saens
RCA 60198
4:23
Debussy, Claude: Petite Suite; “En Bateau” (excerpt)
Robert & Gaby Casadesus, piano
Petite suite (4), for piano, 4 hands
Sony 52527
2:50
Episode 2
Debussy, Claude: Claire de Lune fr. Suite Bergamasque
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
Debussy: Images, Études
Decca 460 247-2
4:43
Debussy, Claude: Trois Mélodies de Verlaine
Maltman, bar.; Martineau
Debussy Songs Volume 1
Hyp 67357
7:15
Debussy, Claude: Quartet for Strings in G minor, Op. 10
Emerson String Quartet
Debussy, Ravel: String Quartets
DG 445509
24:49
Debussy, Claude: Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune
Cleveland Orch/Boulez
Night Songs
DG 435766
8:50
Debussy, Claude: “Mandoline”
Fleming, soprano. Thibaudet, piano (excerpt)
Night Songs
Lon 28 946 769 7
1:04
Episode 3
Debussy, Claude: Pour le Piano: Prelude & Sarabande
Friedrich Gulda, piano
Friedrich Gulda
Phil 456817
3:56
Debussy, Claude: Pelléas Et Mélisande (excerpts)
La Scala/Abbado; Von Stade, mezzo soprano; Ollmann, baritone; Bröcheler, bass
Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande
Opera D’Oro 1195
15:02
Debussy, Claude: Nocturnes: Nuages & Fêtes
LA Philharmonic/ Salonen
Debussy: Nocturnes, L. 91, La damoiselle élue, L. 62 & Le martyre de saint Sébastien, L. 124
Sony 59852
13:40
Debussy, Claude: Danse sacrée et danse profane
Cleveland/Boulez; Wellbaum, harp
Shéhérazade / Le Tombeau De Couperin / Ballades De Villon
DG B0002121-02
10:15
Debussy, Claude: Pour le Piano: Sarabande
Friedrich Gulda, piano
Friedrich Gulda
Phil 456817
3:51
Episode 4
Debussy, Claude: Estampe, II & III
Aldo Ciccolini, piano
Schmitt Pasume XLVII La Tragedie De Salome and Debussy Khamma
DG 435773-2
9:24
Debussy, Claude: L’Isle Joyeuse (excerpt)
Vladimir Horowitz, piano
Live At Carnegie Hall: The Historic Concerts of 1965, 1966 & 1968
CBS 44681
1:00
Debussy, Claude: L’Isle Joyeuse (excerpt)
Philharmonia Orch/Simon
Debussy Volume Two
Cala 1002
5:04
Debussy, Claude: La Mer
BSO/Munch
La Mer / Prèlude À L’Après-Midi D’Un Faune / Nuages / Fêtes / Printemps
RCA 6719
22:52
Debussy, Claude: Children’s Corner (excerpts)
Andre Watts, piano
Great Pianists of The Twentieth Century
Phil 456 985-2
6:13
Debussy, Claude: Children’s Corner; Golliwogg’s Cake-walk)
Andre Watts, piano
Great Pianists of The Twentieth Century
Phil 456 985-2
2:20
Episode 5
Debussy, Claude: Preludes- Book II, No. 3- “La Puerta del Vino”
Friedrich Gulda, piano
Friedrich Gulda I: Debussy / Ravel
Phi 456 817
2:02
Debussy, Claude: Iberia, II & III
BSO/Munch
Bolero
RCA 61956
12:25
Debussy, Claude: Jeux
Concertgebouw/Haitink
Debussy: Orchestral Music
Phil 400 023-2
18:46
Debussy, Claude: Noël des enfants que n’ont plus de maison
Ameling, soprano Baldwin, piano
Debussy: Mélodies
EMI 64095
2:30
Debussy, Claude: Sonata for Violin and Piano
Perlman, violin Ashkenazy, piano
Ravel: Trio; Debussy: Sonatas
Lon 444318
11:54
Debussy, Claude: Suite Bergamasque; “Passepied”
Friedrich Gulda, piano
Friedrich Gulda
Phil 456817
3:21
