date: January 17, 1993
Song was of great importance to Debussy throughout his composing career – this programme spanned the years from 1880 to 1918. Of the poets whom he set, Paul Verlaine was one of the most significant, so we took as our title Verlaine’s collection of 1869, Fêtes galantes. A number of settings of poems from that volume were included, while the centrepiece of the concert was formed by the Chansons de Bilitis, perhaps his greatest cycle. Due attention was paid to Debussy’s affection for much earlier poets – Charles d’Orléans and François Villon – and the crowning glory was the Trois Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé, almost modernist in style. An unusual item was the composer’s own reduction for 2 pianos of Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un faune.
Song | Artist | Composer | Poet |
---|---|---|---|
Mandoline | Polegato, Brett, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Debussy, Claude | Verlaine, Paul |
Fête galante | Monoyios, Ann, soprano; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Debussy, Claude | Banville, Théodore |
Souhait | Bindig, Marianne, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Debussy, Claude | Banville, Théodore de |
Apparition (Quatres Chansons de jeunesse) | Monoyios, Ann, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Debussy, Claude | Mallarmé, Stéphane |
Chevaux de bois (Ariettes oubliées) | Polegato, Brett, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Debussy, Claude | Verlaine, Paul |
En sourdine (Fêtes galantes I) | Polegato, Brett, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Debussy, Claude | Verlaine, Paul |
Fantoches (Fêtes galantes I) | Monoyios, Ann, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Debussy, Claude | Verlaine, Paul |
Clair de lune (Fêtes galantes I) | Monoyios, Ann, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Debussy, Claude | Verlaine, Paul |
De rêve (Proses lyriques) | Bindig, Marianne, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Debussy, Claude | Debussy, Claude |
La Flûte de Pan (Chansons de Bilitis) | Bindig, Marianne, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Debussy, Claude | Louÿs, Pierre |
La Chevelure (Chansons de Bilitis) | Bindig, Marianne, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Debussy, Claude | Louÿs, Pierre |
Le Tombeau des Naïades (Chansons de Bilitis) | Bindig, Marianne, mezzo; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Debussy, Claude | Louÿs, Pierre |
Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un faune | Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos | Debussy, Claude | n/a |
Le Faune (Fêtes galantes II) | Polegato, Brett, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Debussy, Claude | Verlaine, Paul |
Colloque sentimental (Fêtes galantes II) | Polegato, Brett, baritone; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Debussy, Claude | Verlaine, Paul |
Le Temps a laissié son manteau (Trois Chansons de France) | Bindig, Marianne, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Debussy, Claude | Charles d’Orléans |
Pour ce que Plaisance est morte (Trois Chansons de France) | Bindig, Marianne, mezzo; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Debussy, Claude | Charles d’Orléans |
Ballade des femmes de Paris (Trois Ballades de François Villon) | Polegato, Brett, baritone; Ralls, Stephen, piano | Debussy, Claude | Villon, François |
Soupir (Trois Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé) | Monoyios, Ann, soprano; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Debussy, Claude | Mallarmé, Stéphane |
Placet futile (Trois Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé) | Monoyios, Ann, soprano; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Debussy, Claude | Mallarmé, Stéphane |
Eventail (Trois Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé) | Monoyios, Ann, soprano; Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Debussy, Claude | Mallarmé, Stéphane |
Fête galante – ENCORE | Monoyios, Ann, soprano; Bindig, Marianne, mezzo; Polegato, Brett, baritone; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano | Debussy, Claude | Banville, Théodore de |