Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune: Half Man, Half Myth, All Debussy
Tom Service plunges into the heady sound world of the Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune.
Tom Service plunges into the heady sound world of Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune.
"The flute of the faun brought new breath to the art of music" according to composer Pierre Boulez - how does Debussy do it? A ten-minute piece of music that apparently broke all the existing rules of harmony and yet is as minutely detailed as any miniature.
And what do flautists make of the famous opening solo - we hear from principal flute player with the London Symphony Orchestra, Gareth Davies, who demonstrates Debussy's strange magic on a flute of the time.
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Music Played
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Claude Debussy
Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune
Performer: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: François‐Xavier Roth.- LSO LIVE.
- LSO0821D.
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Claude Debussy
Clair de lune for voice and piano [1882] ['Chanson de jeunesse']
Performer: Natalie Dessay. Performer: Philippe Cassard.- Warner Classics.
- 190295652562.
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Claude Debussy
Suite bergamasque for piano
Performer: Jean-Efflam Bavouzet.- CHANDOS.
- CHAN 10743.
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Claude Debussy
Fetes galantes - volume 1 for voice and piano
Performer: Véronique Gens. Performer: Roger Vignoles.- WARNER.
- 0724354536052.
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Claude Debussy
Reverie for piano
Performer: Jean-Efflam Bavouzet.- CHANDOS.
- CHAN 10467.
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John Richard Deacon
JOHN RICHARD DEACON: I want to break free
Performer: Queen.- EMI.
- 00602527594354.
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Pierre Boulez
Pli selon pli, portrait de Mallarme
Performer: 鶹Լ Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.- WARNER.
- 825646208364.
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Edgard Varèse
Density 21.5 for flute solo
Performer: Laurel Zucker.- CANTILENA RECORDS.
- 757166601922.
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Claude Debussy
Syrinx for flute solo
Performer: Emmanuel Pahud.- ERATO.
- 0190295773960.
Broadcasts
- Sun 4 Dec 2022 17:00鶹Լ Radio 3
- Fri 9 Dec 2022 16:30鶹Լ Radio 3
- Sun 18 Feb 2024 17:00鶹Լ Radio 3
- Fri 23 Feb 2024 16:30鶹Լ Radio 3
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Podcast
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The Listening Service
An odyssey through the musical universe, presented by Tom Service