Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918)
First broadcast from 20060904 to 20080418.
10 episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Background | 20060904 | Debussy lived through a period of immense change - socially, economically and politically - in France. Donald Macleod considers how the events Debussy witnessed firsthand - which include the Commune, the birth of the Second Empire and the First World War - helped shape his musical expression. Feux d'artifice, Second Book of Preludes Krystian Zimerman (piano) Green and Spleen from Ariettes Oubliées Dawn Upshaw (soprano) James Levine (piano) Excerpt from l'Enfant Prodigue Jessye Norman (soprano) Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra Gary Bertini (conductor) La Damoiselle Elue Maria Ewing (soprano) Brigitte Balleys (mezzo soprano) London Symphony Orchestra Claudio Abbado (conductor) Estampes Alexis Weissenberg (piano). | |
| 02 | Impressionism | 20060905 | Debussy's music is often linked with the artistic term impressionism. Although there are clear parallels of subject matter between the two art forms, Debussy was influenced by all the prevailing artistic currents in Paris. Donald Macleod explores the melting pot. La catedrale engloutie Krystian Zimerman (piano) En blanc et noir Katia and Marielle Labèque (piano) Nocturnes Concertgebouw Orchestra Collegium Musicum Amstelodamense Bernard Haitink (conductor) Pantomime Dawn Upshaw (soprano) James Levine (piano). | |
| 03 | Literary Circles | 20060906 | Café society was a fundamental element of 19th-century Paris, and Debussy enjoyed going to some of the most famous establishments. It was in these watering holes that he mixed with some of the most influential artistic groups of the day. La plus que lente Walter Gieseking (piano) L'après-midi d'un faune Paris Orchestra Daniel Barenboim (conductor) String Quartet Talich Quartet Recueillement from Cinq Poèmes de Baudelaire Christopher Maltman (baritone) Malcolm Martineau (piano) Prelude to Rodrigue et Chimène Lyon Opera Orchestra Kent Nagano (conductor). | |
| 04 | Dramatic Works | 20060907 | Like many composers of the period, Debussy was deeply affected by Wagner's operas. Donald Macleod looks at how Debussy was inspired - both by what he'd seen in Bayreuth and by the prevalent artistic influences in Paris - to write his dramatic works. Rodrigue et Chimène (excerpt) Gilles Ragon (tenor) Hélène Jossoud (mezzo soprano) Donna Brown (soprano) Laurence Dale (tenor) Chorus and Orchestra of Lyon Opera Kent Nagano (conductor) Pelléas et Mélisande, excerpt from Act 3 Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo soprano) Wolfgang Holzmair, Laurent Naouri (baritone) National Orchestra of France Bernard Haitink (conductor) Jeux Vienna Philharmonic Lorin Maazel (conductor) The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian (excerpt) Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra James Conlon (conductor). | |
| 05 LAST | The Final Chapter | 20060908 | Debussy was a complex character. Donald Macleod builds a picture of a contradictory figure from the accounts left behind by those who knew him. Trois poèmes de Stephane Mallarmé Sandrine Piau (soprano) Jose van Immerseel (piano) Images (Iberia) Montreal Symphony Orchestra Charles Dutoit (conductor) Violin sonata Augustin Dumay (violin) Maria Joo Pires (piano) La Mer (Dialogue du vent) Philharmonia Orchestra Geoffrey Simon (conductor). | |
| 01 | Background | 20080414 | Rptdtoday8.45pm | Donald Macleod explores the immense social, economic and political change in France that shaped Debussy's music, focusing on the Paris Commune, the birth of the Second Empire and World War I. Feux d'artifice (Preludes, Book II) Krystian Zimerman (piano) Green and Spleen (Ariettes oubliees) Dawn Upshaw (soprano) James Levine (piano) l'enfant prodigue (excerpt) Jessye Norman (soprano) Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra Gary Bertini (conductor) La Damoiselle elue Maria Ewing (soprano) Brigitte Balleys (mezzo-soprano) London Symphony Orchestra Claudio Abbado (conductor) Estampes Alexis Weissenberg (piano) |
| 02 | Impressionism | 20080415 | Rptdtoday8.45pm | Donald Macleod explores the various artistic currents in Paris that influenced Debussy's music. La catedrale engloutie Krystian Zimerman (piano) En blanc et noir Katia and Marielle Labeque (pianos) Nocturnes Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Collegium Musicum Amstelodamense Bernard Haitink (conductor) Pantomime Dawn Upshaw (soprano) James Levine (piano) |
| 03 | Literary Circles | 20080416 | Donald Macleod looks at the 19th century Parisian cafe society in which Debussy mixed with some of the most influential artistic groups of the day. La plus que lente Walter Gieseking (piano) L'apres-midi d'un faune Paris Orchestra Daniel Barenboim (conductor) String Quartet Talich Quartet Recueillement (Cinq poemes de Baudelaire) Christopher Maltman (baritone) Malcolm Martineau (piano) Prelude (Rodrigue et Chimene) Lyon Opera Orchestra Kent Nagano (conductor). | |
| 04 | Dramatic Works | 20080417 | Donald Macleod considers how Parisian influences and also Wagner provided the inspiration for many of Debussy's dramatic works. Rodrigue et Chimene (excerpt) Gilles Ragon (tenor) Helene Jossoud (mezzo-soprano) Donna Brown (soprano) Laurence Dale (tenor) Chorus and Orchestra of Lyon Opera Kent Nagano (conductor) Pelleas et Melisande (excerpt from Act 3) Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) Wolfgang Holzmair (baritone) Laurent Naouri (baritone) National Orchestra of France Bernard Haitink (conductor) Jeux Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Lorin Maazel (conductor) The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian (excerpt) Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra James Conlon (conductor). | |
| 05 LAST | The Final Chapter | 20080418 | Donald Macleod examines what has been described as the complex and contradictory nature of Debussy's character. Trois poemes de Stephane Mallarme Sandrine Piau (soprano) Jose van Immerseel (piano) Iberia (Images) Montreal Symphony Orchestra Charles Dutoit (conductor) Violin Sonata Augustin Dumay (violin) Maria Joao Pires (piano) La mer (Dialogue du vent) Philharmonia Orchestra Geoffrey Simon (conductor). |