Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Composer of the Week

Donald Macleod tracks the scandalous life of Achille-Claude Debussy

In the music of Claude Debussy there have been said to run dangerous and destructive currents. His radical works did forge a path which would redefine music in the 20th Century, but his beautiful music runs contrary to his shocking personal life. The Scottish soprano Mary Garden said of him, “I honestly don’t know if he ever loved anybody really. He loved his music – and perhaps himself.” The lies and duplicity, deception and debt left other unfortunate people in their wake, with Debussy unrepentant throughout. In the aftermath of these scandals, Debussy was disowned by his friends, and by most of Parisian society, but the notoriety he gained only seemed to heighten his appeal with audiences. Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod tracks the scandalous life of Achille-Claude Debussy and tries to reconcile his appalling behaviour with his transcendent music.

Suite Bergamasque (3rd mvt, Claire de Lune) La Mer (2nd mvt, Jeux de vagues) Ariettes Oubliee (No 5, Green) Images for Orchestra (No 2, Iberia) Mélodies de Jeunesse (No 3, Les Papillons) Recueil Vasnier, L 53 (Romance – Silence ineffable) Printemps (2nd mvt, Modere) Danse bohemienne Deux Arabesques Rodrigue et Chimene (excerpt) (arr. Smith & orch. Denisov) La damoiselle élue (Chorus: La damoiselle élue s’appuyait) Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune Proses Lyriques (No 3, De fleurs) Prelude – La Fille aux cheveux de lin 3 Chansons de Bilitis Fetes Galantes (Claire de Lune) Trois Nocturnes Images, L 110 (No 2, Hommage a Rameau) Estampes (No 2, La soiree dans Grenade) Pelléas et Mélisande, Act III (excerpt) Rhapsodie for saxophone and orchestra L’isle joyeuse Danse Sacrée et Danse Profane La Mer (3rd mvt. Dialogue of the Waves) Children’s Corner (Cakewalk) 5 Poemes de Charles Baudelaire (No 3, Le Jet d’eau) The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian (Act V: Paradise) Jeux, L 126 Sonata for flute, viola and harp, L 137 (Finale) La chute de la maison Usher, L112 (excerpt) (completed and orchestrated by R Orledge) Syrinx

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Sam Phillips for BBC Audio Wales and West

For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Claude Debussy (1862-1918) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001ygtn

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z