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'Claude' the bohemian

Donald Macleod finds Debussy adopting a bohemian lifestyle. A romantic encounter seems set to lend some stability to his life... until Debussy makes a shock announcement.

Donald Macleod explores as Debussy adopts a bohemian lifestyle. A romantic encounter seems set to lend some stability to his life... until Debussy makes a shock announcement.

In the music of Claude Debussy there have been said to run dangerous and destructive currents. His radical works did forge a path which would redefine music in the 20th century, but his beautiful music runs contrary to his shocking personal life. The Scottish soprano Mary Garden said of him, 鈥淚 honestly don鈥檛 know if he ever loved anybody really. He loved his music 鈥 and perhaps himself.鈥 The lies and duplicity, deception and debt left other unfortunate people in their wake, with Debussy unrepentant throughout. In the aftermath of these scandals, Debussy was disowned by his friends, and by most of Parisian society, but the notoriety he gained only seemed to heighten his appeal with audiences. Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod tracks the scandalous life of Achille-Claude Debussy and tries to reconcile his appalling behaviour with his transcendent music.

In Tuesday鈥檚 episode, Donald finds Debussy adopting a bohemian lifestyle in the French capital, frequenting Parisian cafes and mixing with some of the city鈥檚 most controversial artists. However this lifestyle only makes his financial situation worse. Against all odds, a romantic encounter seems set to lend some stability to his life鈥 until Debussy makes a shock announcement...

Danse bohemienne
Noriko Ogawa, piano

Deux Arabesques
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, piano

Rodrigue et Chimene (excerpt) (arr. Smith & orch. Denisov)
Laurence Dale, tenor (Rodrigue)
Donna Brown, soprano (Chimene)
Orchestre de l'Op茅ra de Lyon
Kent Nagano, conductor

La damoiselle 茅lue 鈥 Chorus: La damoiselle 茅lue s鈥檃ppuyait
London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
Claudio Abbado, conductor

Pr茅lude 脿 l'apr猫s-midi d'un faune
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
St茅phane Den猫ve, conductor

Proses Lyriques 鈥 III. De fleurs
Christine Schafer, soprano
Irwin Gage, piano

Produced by Sam Phillips for 麻豆约拍 Audio Wales and West

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Claude Debussy

    Danse bohemienne

    Performer: Noriko Ogawa.
    • BIS : BISCD-199556.
    • BIS.
    • 13.
  • Claude Debussy

    Deux Arabesques

    Performer: Jean-Efflam Bavouzet.
    • CHANDOS : CHAN10-467.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 7.
  • Claude Debussy

    Rodrigue et Chimene (excerpt)

    Singer: Donna Brown. Singer: Laurence Dale. Choir: Lyon Opera Chorus. Orchestra: Lyon Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Kent Nagano.
    • ERATO : 4509-98508-2.
    • ERATO.
    • 3.
  • Claude Debussy

    La damoiselle elue (Chorus: La damoiselle 茅lue s'appuyait)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Choir: London Symphony Chorus. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON : 4794542.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 2.
  • Claude Debussy

    Pr茅lude 脿 l'apr猫s-midi d'un faune

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: St茅phane Den猫ve.
    • CHANDOS : CHSA-5102.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 4.
  • Claude Debussy

    Proses Lyriques (No 3, De fleurs)

    Performer: Irwin Gage. Singer: Christine Sch盲fer.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON : 459-682 2.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 12.

Broadcast

  • Tue 30 Apr 2024 16:00

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