Images pour orchestre

"Images pour orchestre" is an orchestral composition in three sections by Claude Debussy. Debussy wrote the music between 1905 and 1912. Debussy had originally intended this set of "Images" as a two-piano sequel to the first set of "Images" (solo piano), in a letter to his publisher Durand as of September 1905. However, by March 1906, in another letter to Durand, Debussy had begun to think of casting the work for orchestra rather than two pianos.cite journal | url=http://mq.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/LX/4/544 | last=Orledge | first=Robert | title=Debussy's Musical Gifts to Emma Bardac | journal=The Musical Quarterly | volume=LX | issue=4 | pages=544–556 | date=1974 | accessdate=2008-02-23 | doi=10.1093/mq/LX.4.544]

ections

I. "Gigues" (1909–1912)

"Gigues" had the original title of "Gigues tristes", and Debussy used his memories of England as inspiration for the music, in addition to the song "Dansons la gigue" of Charles Bordes. Debussy also used the Scottish folk tune "The Keel Row" as material for this movement. [cite journal | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-4666(196707)108%3A1493%3C599%3APOD5DA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-K - | last=Pirie | first=Peter J. | title=Portrait of Debussy. 5: Debussy and English Music | journal=The Musical Times | volume=108 | issue=1493 | pages=599–601 | date=1966 | accessdate=2008-03-08 | doi=10.2307/953799]

Controversy exists over the role of André Caplet in the orchestration of "Gigues". Robert Orledge and Williametta Spencer are two writers, for example, who have accepted Caplet as assisting with the orchestration. [cite journal | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-4666(197412)115%3A1582%3C1030%3ADOC11L%3E2.0.CO%3B2-9 - | last=Orledge |first=Robert | title=Debussy's Orchestral Collaborations, 1911-13. 1: Le martyre de Saint-Sébastien | journal=The Musical Times | volume=115 | issue=1582 | pages=1030–1033, 1035 | date=1974 | accessdate=2008-03-08 | doi=10.2307/960380] cite journal | url=http://mq.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/LXVI/1/112 |last=Spencer |first=Williametta | title=The Relationship between André Caplet and Claude Debussy | journal=The Musical Quarterly | volume=LXVI | issue=1 | pages=112–131 | date=1980 | accessdate=2008-02-23 | doi=10.1093/mq/LXVI.1.112] In contrast, François Lesure has stated, based on manuscript examination in the Bibliothèque National (MS 1010), that Caplet did not assist with the orchestration. [cite journal | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-4224(199602)77:1%3C132:CDBC%3E2.0.CO;2-4 - | last=Orledge |first=Robert | title=Reviews of Books: "Claude Debussy: biographie critique" by François Lesure | journal=Music & Letters | volume=77 | issue=1 | pages=132–133 | date=1996 | accessdate=2008-03-08]

II. "Ibéria" (1905–1908)

"Ibéria" is the most popular of the three orchestral "Images" and itself forms a triptych within a triptych. The three sections of "Ibéria" are:
* i. Par les rues et par les chemins ("In the streets and by-ways")
* ii. Les Parfums de la nuit ("The fragrance of the night")
* iii. Le matin d'un jour de fête ("The morning of the festival day")

The music is inspired by impressions of Spain. Richard Langham Smith has commented on Debussy's own wish to incorporate ideas of juxtaposing elements of the visual arts in musical terms [Richard Langham Smith, "Debussy and the Art of the Cinema" (January 1973). "Music & Letters", 54 (1): pp. 61-70.] , including a quote from Debussy to Caplet from a letter of 26 February 1910 [Paul Driver, "Debussy through His Letters" (December 1987). "The Musical Times", 128 (1738): pp. 687-689.] :

"You can't imagine how naturally the transition works between 'Parfums de la nuit' and 'Le Matin d'un jour de fête. "Ça n'a pas l'air d'être écrit."

Matthew Brown has briefly commented on Debussy's use of techniques such as incomplete progressions, parenthetical episodes and interpolations in "Ibéria".cite journal | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0195-6167(199323)15%3A2%3C127%3ATAFID%22%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Z | last=Brown |first=Matthew | title=Tonality and Form in Debussy's "Prélude à 'L'Après-midi d'un faune" | journal=Music Theory Spectrum | volume=15 | issue=2 | pages=127–143 | date=Autumn 1993 | accessdate=2008-02-23 | doi=10.1525/mts.1993.15.2.02a00010]

III. "Rondes de printemps" ("Round dances of spring") (1905–1909)

Debussy utilised two folk tunes, "Nous n'irons plus au bois" and "Do, do l'enfant do" in this movement. Brown, Dempster and Headlam have analysed the tonal structure of this movement. [cite journal | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0195-6167(199723)19%3A2%3C155%3AT%5BHTTL%3E2.0.CO%3B2-2 - | last=Brown |first=Matthew; Dempster, Douglas; and Headlam, Dave | title=The ♯IV(♭V) Hypothesis: Testing the Limits of Schenker's Theory of Tonality | journal=Music Theory Spectrum | volume=19 | issue=2 | pages=155–183 | date=Autumn 1997 | accessdate=2008-03-08 | doi=10.1525/mts.1997.19.2.02a00020]

References

External links

* [http://musical-impressions.net/works.html The Complete Debussy's Works List]
* [http://www.oldandsold.com/articles06/sy47.shtml "Claude Achille Debussy - Iberia: Images for Orchestra, No. 2", Unknown author, 1935 article]