Description
The work was originally intended as part of the Suite bergamasque (HN 381), like L'Isle joyeuse (HN 386). Yet Debussy ultimately chose other pieces for the Suite, and instead published Masques and L'Isle joyeuse separately in September and October 1904 as new compositions. Both pieces were written during the summer of 1904, a particularly turbulent period in Debussy's life, as he had just left his first wife Lilly for Emma Bardac. In contrast to the vibrant L'Isle joyeuse, the Masques appears more reserved and mysterious. The Catalonian virtuoso Ricardo Viñes gave the premieres of both works, which have remained extremely popular to this day.
