Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 10/19/2011, uploaded on 01/19/2012

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

There are distinct differences between L’isle joyeuse and Clair de lune (http://www.classicalconnect.com/Piano_Music/Debussy/Claire_de_lune/6465).  The first is a brilliant virtuosic piece inspired by a French Baroque painting (Watteau’s L’embarquement pour Cythère), while Clair de lune is a slower-paced nocturne, initially titled Promenade Sentimentale, inspired by Paul Verlaine’s poem of the same name. Despite these differences, both share a common link (according to Paul Roberts in Images: The Piano Music of Claude Debussy) to the fête galante (“gallant party”), which were romantic, amorous, outdoor events conducted by French aristocrats in the 1700’s, and later a label given to the painting style Watteau was instrumental in creating. His celebrated painting of the island of Cythère, currently housed in the Louvre, portrays one of these excursions and served as an inspiration to Debussy’s musical island. It was also the spark for Verlaine’s set of poems called Fêtes Galantes.  Regardless of their differences and common links, both are considered to be among Debussy’s most celebrated works in the piano literature.      Brian Lee

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.