Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudelaire

Song cycle composed by Claude Debussy

voice
piano

The Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudelaire (L 64) constitute a song cycle for voice and piano by Claude Debussy, on poems taken from Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire. Composed from December 1887 to March 1889, these five highly developed vocal pieces were not well received by Parisian musical circles because of the Wagnerian influence they revealed.

This aesthetic, following on from the harmonic innovations of Tristan und Isolde, was gradually abandoned by Debussy, addressing the composition of Pelléas et Mélisande. Thus, the Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudelaire represent a particular moment of the musical evolution of Debussy. Musicologists agree that it is "a work of crisis and transition."^[1]

Songs

"Le Balcon"
"Harmonie du soir"
"Le jet d'eau"
"Recueillement"
"La mort des amants"

Composition

The composition of the Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudelaire extended over more than a year: "La mort des amants" was completed in December 1887,^[2] "Le balcon" in January 1888,^[1] "Harmonie du soir" in January 1889,^[2] and "Le jet d'eau" in March of the same year.^[2] "Recueillement" is an undated melody.^[2]

Publication

The work was ill received by Parisian musical circles. After the success of Ariettes oubliées, nobody wanted to edit or perform the Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudelaire, according to Jean Barraqué.^[3] Debussy was reduced to publishing an edition of his melodies by subscription, with only 150 copies.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b Halbreich 1980, p. 633
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Halbreich 1980, p. 634
^ Barraqué 1962, p. 104.
^ Lockspeiser 1980, p. 155.

Sources

Barraqué, Jean (1962). Debussy. Solfèges (in French). Paris: Éditions du Seuil. p. 250. ISBN 2-02-020626-9.
Halbreich, Harry. "Claude Debussy, analyse de l'œuvre". In Lockspeiser & Halbreich (1980), pp. 533–748.
Lockspeiser, Edward. "Claude Debussy, sa vie et sa pensée". In Lockspeiser & Halbreich (1980), pp. 7–529.
Lockspeiser, Edward; Halbreich, Harry (1980). Claude Debussy (in French). Paris: Fayard. ISBN 2-213-00921-X.

External links

Cinq poèmes de Baudelaire (Debussy): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudeaire, Bibliothèque nationale de France
Chris Boyes. Claude Debussy – Poèmes (5) de Baudelaire, song collection for voice & piano, L. 70 (64) at AllMusic
Audio, complete on YouTube, Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto), Catherine Collard (piano)

Claude Debussy

List of compositions

Opera

Rodrigue et Chimène (1890–1892)
Pelléas et Mélisande (1893–1902)
Le diable dans le beffroi (1902–1911)
La chute de la maison Usher (1908–1917)

Ballet

Khamma (1911–1912)
Jeux (1912–1913)
La boîte à joujoux (1913)

Orchestral

Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (1894)
Nocturnes (1897–1899)
La mer (1903–1905)
Images (1905–1912)

With a soloist	L'enfant prodigue (1884) Fantaisie for piano and orchestra (1889–1890) Première rhapsodie (1909–1910) Rhapsodie for saxophone and orchestra (1901-1911)

Chamber

Piano Trio (1879)
String Quartet (1893)
Dances for Harp and String Orchestra (1904)
Syrinx for flute (1913)
Six sonatas for various instruments (1915–1917): Cello Sonata (1915)

Piano

Solo	Two Arabesques (1888, 1891) Valse romantique (1890) Suite bergamasque (1890–1905) Pour le piano suite (1894–1901) Estampes (1903) Masques (1904) L'isle joyeuse (1904) Images, Set 1 (1905) Reflets dans l'eau Children's Corner (1906–1908) The Little Nigar (1909) Préludes, Book 1 (1909–1910) Voiles Des pas sur la neige Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest La fille aux cheveux de lin La sérénade interrompue La cathédrale engloutie La plus que lente (1910) Préludes, Book 2 (1912–1913) Brouillards Hommage à S. Pickwick Esq. P.P.M.P.C. Études (1915)

Solo