Description

In the "Nocturnes" for orchestra and women’s chorus, composed between 1897 and 1899, Debussy realized his idea that musical form should arise organically from the material. Utilizing a tripartite structure, he made references to the symphony while simultaneously distancing himself from it by substituting the motivic-thematic elements with a range of nuanced timbres. The movement titles "Nuages" (clouds), "Fêtes" (festivals), and "Sirènes" (sirens), which draw inspiration from nature and culture, hint at the programmatic music that was prevalent during that era. Nevertheless, Debussy was not focused on tone-painting; instead, he emphasized poetic imagination. The arrangement of this impressionistic masterpiece for two pianos, completed by Ravel in 1909, posed a challenge that the young composer navigated with remarkable skill. Alongside Louis Aubert, he also successfully premiered the work on 24 April 1911 at the Salle Gaveau in Paris. We were fortunate to engage Debussy expert Denis Herlin for the first critical edition of the arrangement, with Andreas Groethuysen providing the fingerings.