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Post by Pinch on Jun 10, 2020 23:37:31 GMT
My apologies for getting this in so late. To make things easier I thought I'd not overthink it and just pick one of my favourite pieces from (probably) my favourite composer. But then I was a bit torn between two pieces, and so since neither is very long, and since - in my view - they compliment each other so well, I thought I'd just nominate both. Here we have two short orchestral works from Debussy: his 'Printemps' and his 'Fantasy for piano and orchestra'. I've picked a collection that has them next to each other (tracks 1-4) - they fit together perfectly I think. They are both relatively early works (1885 & 1889/90), and offer glimpses of the territory that Debussy would go onto explore in his later masterpieces.
If I'd given myself more time to do this I might have tried to say something meaningful about the music itself, and its significance for me. But luckily time is short! I'll just say that they've both given me considerable pleasure - I hope others enjoy them too.
I'll add a poll tomorrow sometime.
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 11, 2020 8:23:43 GMT
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 11, 2020 9:32:04 GMT
Very much a 'mood' thing for me -- I'll try again another time / another mood. But it generally falls under the heading '2/5 - insipid French stuff' for me. I guess I prefer music that is more structured and definite. It's quite pleasant, 'mostly harmless'. But never mind me, I'm sure Jules, Paul and Martin will give it a rave review - they're generally very keen on all this ponsy French music.  |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 11, 2020 10:07:36 GMT
LOL! I'll give them a listen later as I'm not greatly familiar with these pieces.
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 11, 2020 11:56:25 GMT
Jerry has been listening with his Headspace for so long he has lost all powers of musical discrimination!  I wouldn't want to disappoint, so will state from the off that I love Debussy, especially the shimmering orchestral works, that are utterly beguiling. I was lucky enough to see a wonderful performance of the Fantaisie with the most excellent Kathryn Stott, so am looking forward to revisiting it. |
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Post by Slinger on Jun 11, 2020 16:42:32 GMT
I'm a fan also, but there again I'm an old romantic, and at least Debussy's music doesn't feature that bloke Jerry likes who seems to be repeatedly falling down a cast-iron spiral staircase while carrying a box of cutlery.  |
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 11, 2020 16:51:08 GMT
Coo, yes. Thanks for reminding me, I must play that again.  |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 11, 2020 18:51:19 GMT
I'm going to fall somewhere in the middle. Beautiful pastel shades like high quality incidental music. Debussy never affronts, it's all delicious but with limited depth, like a glass of Pinot Grigio.
There's no poll yet, but it would get a 3/5 from me.
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 11, 2020 19:40:28 GMT
Incidental music?
Limited depth??
Like a glass of Pinot Grigio???
I know you had a day off today - what have you been smoking Martin?
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 12, 2020 15:11:02 GMT
Pinch - would you like to add a poll so we can start voting or I can add one if you like?
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Post by Pinch on Jun 12, 2020 19:00:08 GMT
Gah! I hadn't realised there was a time limit on post edits. I can't add one now  |
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 12, 2020 20:14:07 GMT
Tis done!
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Post by Pinch on Jun 12, 2020 20:27:55 GMT
Parfait!
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Post by Slinger on Jun 12, 2020 20:44:18 GMT
Jerry says it's a "mood" thing, and I agree. The difference is that listening to it improves my mood whereas I take Jerry to mean he has to be in the right mood to attempt it.
I've listened to the Cleveland Orch/Pierre Boulez Printemps... and the Sir Alexander Gibson/Jean Rudolphe Kars/LSO Fantasy... which is the same version as is on the Spotify listing I think. First things first: I'm already a fan so it's getting a high mark. I think that either Debussy was ahead of his time, or, 50 years later, a lot of composers who were co-opted into writing film scores ripped him of unmercifully. Perhaps it's a bit of both. Printemps... especially seems to evoke moods and themes, troughs and peaks, and varying emotions, that could happily be illustrated in celluloid. That does not make it bad music. If it sounds a bit "commercial" now perhaps that's because we've watched those thirties, forties, and fifties films. Indeed, some of Debussy's music was actually used in films I believe. I like it. It's emotional music but it's cerebral rather than visceral.
Anyway, I seem to have rambled myself to a halt. I'll give it 4/5 and it would have been 9/10 had the scale gone that high.
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 13, 2020 0:30:29 GMT
I'd agree completely.
I find Debussy highly impressionistic, and like the best artists of that school, he manages to effortlessly conjure up light, colour, movement, place and a sense of timelessness.
There's also something intangibly humanistic about his approach that personally I find very moving. Like La Mer for example - it's as much about experience and feeling as it is about the oceans themselves.
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 13, 2020 5:16:34 GMT
Vive la difference! By way of encouragement to Tom I was going to mention that, as per Paul, if the scoring was out of 10 I'd give it a 3. Then I realised that was less than 2/5, not more!  |
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 13, 2020 17:29:05 GMT
There's a theme in one of the famous Hitchcock films that sounds like it was lifted straight from Printemps. Most enjoyable, but not his most idiomatic or memorable work ...
The Fantaisie is Premier League Debussy for sure.
4/5.
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 13, 2020 23:43:29 GMT
Very interesting to read about Jean-Rodolphe Kars, the pianist who played the Fantaisie -
<In 1981 he ended his official career as concert pianist. In 1986 he entered the priesthood, becoming Père Jean-Rodolphe Kars. Since 1986 he has been Chaplain of Paray-le-Monial, a town in the Burgundy region of France.>
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