Debussy the Impressionist?
Tom Service considers whether Claude Debussy was an impressionist or not, arguing that he was instead a modernist, an abstract composer and also a creator of nightmares.
Tom Service considers whether Claude Debussy was an impressionist or not. He is often said to have composed Impressionist music - in such popular works as Claire de Lune and La Mer. But Tom argues that Debussy's music has quite a different character to that of the Impressionist painters - and to prove it he discusses the techniques of those painters with art historian Anthea Callen. Debussy, Tom argues, was a modernist, an abstract composer and also (in his opera PellΓ©as et Melisande) a creator of nightmares.
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Music Played
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Claude Debussy
Clair de lune (Suite Bergamasque)
Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.- Hyperion.
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Claude Debussy
La Mer: 3rd movement
Performer: The Cleveland Orchestra. Performer: Pierre Boulez.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Pour les Quartes (Etudes)
Performer: Mitsuko Uchida.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Jeux
Performer: The Cleveland Orchestra. Performer: Pierre Boulez.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Pelleas et Melisande - Act 4 ΒQuel est ce bruit?Β
Performer: François Le Roux. Performer: Maria Ewing. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: Claudio Abbado.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
La Mer: 1st movement
Performer: The Cleveland Orchestra. Performer: Pierre Boulez.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
La Mer: 2nd movement
Performer: The Cleveland Orchestra. Performer: Pierre Boulez.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
La Mer: 3rd movement
Performer: The Cleveland Orchestra. Performer: Pierre Boulez.- DG.
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Ludwig van Bethoven
Symphony No.6: 5th movement - Allegretto
Performer: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Performer: Nikolaus Harnoncourt.- TELDEC.
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Claude Debussy
La Mer: 1st movement
Performer: The Cleveland Orchestra. Performer: Pierre Boulez.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
La Mer: 3rd movement
Performer: The Cleveland Orchestra. Performer: Pierre Boulez.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Pour les Quartes (Etudes)
Performer: Mitsuko Uchida.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Pour les degrΓ©s chromatiques (Etudes)
Performer: Mitsuko Uchida.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Jeux
Performer: The Cleveland Orchestra. Performer: Pierre Boulez.- DG.
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Igor Stravinsky
Rite of Spring: Auguries of Spring
Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker. Performer: Sir Simon Rattle.- EMI.
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Arnold Schoenberg
Erwartung
Performer: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Sir Simon Rattle.- EMI.
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Claude Debussy
Jeux
Performer: The Cleveland Orchestra. Performer: Pierre Boulez.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Pelleas et Melisande - Act 3 Interlude
Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: Claudio Abbado.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Pelleas et Melisande - Act 4 ΒMaintenant que le pere de Pelleas est sauvΓ©Β
Performer: Jean-Philippe Courtis. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: Claudio Abbado.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Pelleas et Melisande - Act 1 opening
Performer: JosΓ© van Dam. Performer: Maria Ewing. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: Claudio Abbado.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Pelleas et Melisande Act 3 - ΒPrenez garde; par iciΒ
Performer: José van Dam. Performer: François Le Roux. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: Claudio Abbado.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Pelleas et Melisande - Act 3 Interlude
Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: Claudio Abbado.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Pelleas et Melisande - Act 4 ΒQuel est ce bruit?Β
Performer: Maria Ewing. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: Claudio Abbado.- DG.
Broadcasts
- Sun 18 Feb 2018 17:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
- Sun 11 Jul 2021 17:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
- Fri 16 Jul 2021 16:30ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
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The Listening Service
An odyssey through the musical universe, presented by Tom Service
