Five essential works by Debussy
We choose the best pieces by the modern face of French opera, Debussy
Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune
This seductive and sultry orchestral masterpiece quietly wrought a revolution more profound than Wagner’s Tristan.
Recommended recording:
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Bernard Haitink
Philips 438 7422 (2 discs)
Nocturnes
Three contrasting orchestral tone poems – by turns languid, lively and seductive – which impressed not only Ravel but also composers outside France.
Recommended recording:
LSO/André Previn
EMI 391 9672
La mer
A vivid portrait of the sea in all its moods, La mer is the nearest that Debussy came to writing a symphony, with a lively scherzo (‘Play of the waves’) and a rousing finale.
Recommended recording:
Singapore SO/Lan Shui
BIS-SACD 1447
Preludes Books 1 & 2
On one level a series of miniature tableaux – ranging from landscapes and atmospheres to thumbnail sketches of literary characters – these piano piece also provide a superb overview of Debussy’s range as a composer.
Recommended recording:
Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Decca 452 0222 (2 discs)
Pelléas et Mélisande
Debussy’s understated, almost dream-like opera about young lovers caught up in an extra-marital affair exerts an extraordinary and unforgettable spell on its listeners.
Recommended recording:
Vienna State Opera/Claudio Abbado
DG 435 3442 (2 discs)
