Description
Debussy composed these two brief dances at the request of the instrument manufacturing company Pleyel, which sought to leverage renowned composers for the promotion of its newly designed chromatic harp. These dances can also be performed effortlessly on the pedal harp, which was set to supersede the chromatic harp in concert settings. The pieces' archaic style, characterized by modal harmonies, conveys a sense of a "sacred" ritual and a "profane" celebration of joy, reflecting Debussy's own fascination with antiquity and the artistic milieu of around 1900. This edition represents the first critical analysis of the works, meticulously based on a thorough examination of both the autograph and the first published edition.
