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    Debussy Songs (Hal Leonard, High)

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    Songs of Claude Debussy Volume I: High Voice A Critical Edition by James R. Briscoe ) @ © @ @ Based on primary sources, with commentary and translations. Songs of Claude Debussy Volume 1: High Voice A Critical Edition by James R. Briscoe Based on primary sources, with commentary and translations. Each song is presented in the original key. ‘On the cover: Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1906, oll on canvas, 87.6 x 92.7 cm, Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson Collection, 1933.1157, photograph © 1993 The Art Institute of Chicago. “You honor me greatly by calling me a student of Claude Monet.” (Debussy to Emile Vuillermoz, 25 January 1916.) HAL*LEONARD® mic ORPORATION (Copyright ©1999 by HAL LEONARD PUBLISHING CORPORATION. Intemational Copyght Secured Al Fights Resorved Fora works contained herein Unauthorized copying, arangng, adapting, recording o publ peromance is an intingerent of copyright. niingors are labo andr te law, JAMES R. BRISCOE is Professor in the Jordan College of Fine Arts at Butler University, where he teach- es American, Classic, and Romantic music history. He compiled the Historical Anthology of Music by Women (Indiana University Press, 1987), and wrote the book Claude Debussy: A Guide to Research (Garland Publishing, New York, 1990). Previous Debussy editions include the unpublished songs Sept Poimes de Banville (Paris: Jobert, 1985) and Preludes for Piano, Books 1 and 2, for G. Schirmer in 1991. In the summer of 1990 he spoke at the Intemational Musicological Society Symposium in Osaka, Japan, and at the Intemational Franck Symposium in Belgium. Scholarly articles on women composers and on Debussy have appeared in 19th-Century Music, College Music Symposium, Musical Quarterly, Journal of ‘Musicology, and Revue belge de musicologie, Mr. Briscoe graduated with a bachelor’s degree in cello from the University of Alabama, and with master’s and doctorate degrees in musicology from the University of North Carolina. He received research and teaching grants from the French Government, Butler University, Indiana Humanities Council, National Endowment for the Humanities, Danforth Foundation, and Mellon Foundation. In 1984 Butler University students named him “Outstanding Teacher of the Year.” The editor expresses his appreciation to the following persons and institutions for generous permission to uote from their manuscripts in this edition: Mr. Georges Alphandéry, Montfavet, France Bibliotheque nationale, Paris, Département de la musique, Mme Catherine Massip, Directeur Mrs. Daniel Drachman. Harvard University, the Houghton Library ‘The Frederick R. Koch Foundation Collection, ‘on deposit atthe Pierpont Morgan Library, New York ‘The Carlton Lake Collection, Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin Mime Frangoise de Lastc, for the Collection Lang-Gotin, Abbaye de Royaumont, Asniéres-sur-Oise, France Mr. Robert O. Lehman ‘The Library of Congress, Music Division ‘The Pierpont Morgan Library, Mr. J. Rigbie Tumer, Curator of Music ‘The Newberry Library, Chicago ‘The editor also thanks André Aeme, esteemed colleague and singer, for his review of this edition, It is dedicated with love to Madeleine and Rochelle, “un conseil de godter le charme d'étre au monde.” 32 36 39 41 43 49 3 37 61 70 14 B 3 87 92 98 101 107 109 116 119 122 131 136 145 150 153, 159 163 168 CONTENTS Introduction Notes on the Edition Notes and Translations Nuit d'étoiles Fleur des blés Zéphyr ‘Aimons-nous et dormons Jane Pierrot Rondeau Féte galante Beau soir Fétes galantes pour Madame Vasnier Pantomime En sourdine Mandoline Clair de tune Fantoches Apparition Récit et Air de Lia from L’enfant prodigue Ariettes oubliées C'est l'extase langoureuse T pleure dans mon cceur L’ombre des arbres CChevaux de bois Green Spleen ing potmes de Charles Baudelaire Le baleon Harmonie du soir Le jet d'eau Recueillement La mort des amants Trois mélodies Labelle au bois dormant ‘Voici que le printemps Paysage sentimental Glossary INTRODUCTION The 85 art songs by Claude Debussy (1862-1918) span his entire creative output. His first composi- tions were songs, the earliest dating from about 1880, and his first publication was “Nuit d'étoiles” in 1882, Debussy as a composer was introduced to the public that year, when as pianist he joined his bene- factor Marie-Blanche Vasnier for the premier of “Féte galante,” included in the present collection. In the ‘ensuing years through1887, 46 songs were written. Many of these were for the light but versatile soprano voice of Madame Vasnier, “a melodious fairy voice,” as Debussy expressed it. She was a beautiful woman of the haute bourgeoisie and an accomplished singer, highly esteemed by critics; her husband Eugene guid- ‘ed Debussy toward contemporary literature and the other arts. The financial, artistic, and intellectual sup- Port of the Vasniers enabled the young composer to evolve beyond the conservative artistic boundaries of the Paris Conservatoire. That is perhaps why the genre of song first shows the technical innovations and the new sensibilities toward literature that he would cultivate in his mature work, which set a pace for ‘twentieth century music. However reluctantly, the young Debussy nonetheless conformed to the musical establishment and wrote the required cantatas and choral works for the Conservatoire, climaxing in the Prix de Rome cantata L'enfant prodigue of 1884. ‘The poets Paul Bourget and Théodore de Banville are literary preoccupations of Debussy in his early songs to about 1886. Banville especially parallels Debussy's and the Symbolists’ value of artistic suggestion over outright statement, “of things said in par.” Alongside Banville, the Symbolists Verlaine, in the early Fétes galantes pour Madame Vasnier and the Ariettes oubliges, and Mallarmé, in “Apparition,” make their first appearance. From 1887 to 1915, when he composed his last song “"Noél des enfants qui n’ont plus de maison Debussy completed 39 songs. More than any other artistic trend, Symbolism dominates the aesthetic of Debussy, whereby he remains faithful to the realm of the dream, the illusion, and the fantasy. Debussy is unified with the Symbolists in the artistic desire, as Stefan Jarocinski noted, “to use the free interplay of resemblances, associations, of far-off echos... an open form capable of receiving various meanings without having any definite meaning in itself.” In his maturity Debussy includes his own texts among those by (Charles Baudelaire, Tristan Lhermite, and Pierre Lous, all in the Symbolist realm. After 1898, however, he found inspiration of noble, gentle, but also nationalistic sort in earlier French poetry by Charles ‘’Orléans and Frangois Villon. This classicicizing tendency was also to increase in the instrumental com- Positions of later maturity. Altogether, Debussy set the writings of 23 poets as art songs. NOTES ON THE EDITION ‘This edition presents 62 of Debussy’s songs in two volumes, and it includes the one aria from the cantata L’enfant prodigue that figures in the modem recital repertory. All of the songs Debussy chose to publish are included, as are the choicest of the early songs published posthumously. Furthermore, the early version of Fantoches is presented for the first time. Certain of the omitted songs have not been recovered or are inaccessible in private collections. The other songs not included, just as the inaccessible ones, date from Debussy's youth. In some cases, inexperience and the need to follow existing idioms result in songs of perhaps a lesser interest for the repertory. In the volume for high voice, the high range with occasional emphasis on the middle tessitura predominates. It seems that the voice type of Marie-Blanche Vasnier, which domintated the youthful song writing, continued to exert its effect for some years after Debussy stopped writing specifically for her. Moreover, a generally late-Romantic melodic idiom prevailed. ‘The volume for medium voice contains the songs of maturity, in which a middle voice range seemed appropri- ate to Debussy for his typically Symbolist understatement. Sources ‘Two types of primary sources are considered basic to this edition: autograph manuscripts and first editions supervised by Debussy. The primary sources that were consulted are indicated in the notes following each song. In every case, the edition on legal deposit at the Bibliotheque nationale in Paris was consulted as the first edition, and the autograph manuscripts listed were consulted directly. Editorial Procedure When there is a variant reading among sources, that of the first edition is generally preferred. Debussy probably emended the autograph reading in the publisher's proofs, or else he revised the song in an auto- ‘graph manuscript not recovered. In any case, it is presumed that the first edition usually represents the composer's final intent. When a song was published posthumously and thus not under Debussy’s supervi- sion, the autograph is generally preferred in the event of variant readings. Notes list the primary sources considered and indicate further details of the composition. Numbered notes refer to the sources and describe all significant variant readings among primary sources. This edition resolves minor variants without further note, such as missing accidentals confirmed in another voice and stem directions. In every case, this edition signals all variants among sources and editorial departures from the primary sources of any musical significance, whether by numbered notes or by placing editorial inser- tions in brackets. ‘This edition brings stem direction and the notation of rests into conformity with modem practice. It adopts without further comment the current preference for beaming eighth notes and smaller values in voice lines instead of the traditional flagged notes for separate syllables. In the present case, the division of syllables in the French underlay is clarified by hyphens consistently. Final, unaccented e’s in French words custom- arily are not spoken but are sung in music. Often but not consistently in Debussy’s autograph manuscripts and first editions, the final tone setting the e was joined to the penultimate tone by a tie. Current practice discourages such ties into final e's. In the present edition, they are eliminated except when an actual slur is in question. The primary sources were also inconsistent in slurs indicating phrases: here, the slur is extended to cover such final syllables without further editorial comment, Traditional French notation in the primary sources occasionally spread a chord in one hand over both treble and bass clefs; the current edition notates a chord in its entirety within the appropriate clef, using leger lines and making no further comment editorially. In no case, however, is a polyphonic line in the accompaniment obscured or is any pitch or duration altered. The indication of such terms as crescendo and accelerando, which the primary sources hyphenate and spread across several measures on occasion, herein is stated simply at once. Such instructions are understood to continue until another instruction takes over. ‘The indications “Tempo 1°” and “I? Tempo” are standardized as the former term. Intemal double bars, except when they indicate a ‘major structural division, ae reduced to single barlines according to modem practice. Dedications are those indicated in the first edition or, inthe case of posthumous editons, in the manuscript. Dates given beneath each song title refer to the date of composition, which sometimes precedes publica- tion by some time. Capitalization and punctuation in the French text underlay follows that of the original poem, as does spelling. Debussy's orthographic errors in the autograph manuscripts are corrected without further men- tion. However, his deliberate modifications of the poem are retained, and a numbered note signals the original text ofthe poem. ‘Translations into English are by the editor and seek a compromise between a literal but awkward transla- tion, and an elegant but too often remote one. To assist performers, the translations are given alongside the French text. The translations proceed line for line and maintain the punctuation that ends each line of the French, Abbreviations ‘A- among sources, signifies an autograph manuscript E-signifies the first edition of a song EP-signifies the first posthumous edition Lh, left hand; also m.g,, main gauche cheright hand; also m.d,, main droite [_ }Brackets indicate an interpolation by the editor of a detail not found in the primary sources. Note that Parentheses are used only when they occur in the primary sources, such as for reminder accidentals. NOTES AND TRANSLATIONS Nuit d’étoiles (Starry night) Nuit d'étoiles, Starry night, Sous tes voiles, Beneath your veils, ‘Sous ta brise et tes parfums, Beneath your breeze and perfumes, Triste lyre Tam like a sad lyre Qui soupire, That is sighing, Jeréve aux amours défunts, 1 dream of past loves, Jeréve aux amours défunts. 1 dream of past loves. La sereine mélancolie ‘Quiet melancholy Vient éclore au fond de mon eceur, ‘Comes and breaks forth in the depths of my heart, Et j'ntends I'ame de ma mie And I hear the soul of my love ‘Tressallir dans le bois réveur. ‘Tremble in the dreaming woods. Nuit d’étoiles.. Starry night Je revois & notre fontaine again see in our fountain Tes regards bleus comme les cieux; Your glances as blue as the sky; Cette rose, c'est ton haleine, This rose, itis your breath, Etces étoiles sont tes yeux. ‘And these stars are your eyes. Nuit d°étoiles. ‘Starry night. SOURCES ‘A: inan untraced private collection E: Paris: Société artistique (E. Bulla), [1882]. The song was first published in the review Fantaisie artistique et lttéraire in 1880, a copy of which is not traced. 1. The text repetition “Je réve...défunts" is by Debussy but not the poet Banville 21 E,m.23-24: no indication to roll chords, here an editorial suggestion by analogy with m, 56-57 Fleur des blés (Bloom of wheat) Lelong des bés que la brise In the wheat field that the breeze Fait onduler puis défrise ‘Makes wave and then unfurls En un désordre coquet, Ina charming disorder, ai trouvé de bonne prise Lohoughe it just right Det’y cueilir un bouquet. To gather you a bouquet. Mets-e vite & ton corsage, — Put it quickly ito your bodice, — est fait & ton image {tis made in your image En méme temps que pour ti Just as it was made for you ‘Tom petit dois, je le gage, Your litle finger, I wager, Ta dja soufflé pourquoi: Has already whispered why: Ces épis dorés, c'est "onde These golden clusters, they are the wave De ta chevelure blonde Of your blond hair Toute d'or et de soleil; Ali gold and sunlight; Ce coquelicot qui fronde, This poppy that banters, (Crest ta bouche au sang vermeil {tis your mouth as red as blood. Fleur des bés, conned Etces blues, beau mystére! ‘And these blue comnflowers, lovely mystery! Points d'azur que rien n’altére, Spots of azure that nothing can change, Ces bluets ce sont tes yeux, ‘These blue flowers are your eyes, Si bleus qu'on dirait, sur terre, 0 blue that one would call them Deux éclats tombés des cieux. ‘Two splinters of sky fallen to earth. ‘SOURCES ‘A: not traced E: Paris: Veuve Girod, 1891 1. ‘The youthful style suggests a date of composition considerably earlier than that of publication, as does the dedication to a singer known by Debussy about 1880. 2. E: pnotmp 3. E: inpoco rit. 4. E: dim. (m. 14); Tres retenu (m. 15); pp following pit p (m. 15) 5. Eomits the inlet hand, apparently in eroe. 6. B: rit. (m.24) and a Tempo (m, 25) 7. E: J on the downbeat in the bass. The present © is given by analogy with m. 10. 8. E: pia,p—molio dim. encore plus lent (m. 30); pp — ppp (on. 31-32) Zéphyr Sij’étais le Zephyr ailé, If were the winged breeze, the Zephyr, Tiais mourir sur votre bouche. would goto die on your lips. Ces voles, jen aurais la clé, To these veils I would possess the key, Si étais le Zéphyr ale If were the winged Zephyr. Pris des seins, pour qui je brilais, ‘Near to that bosom, for which I burn, Je me gliserais dans la couche. T would slide ito bed. Sij’étais le Zéphyr ail, If | were the winged Zephyr, ‘Tirais mouri sur votre bouche. 1 would go to die on your lips. SOURCES Collection Alphandéry, Montfavet, France EP: Mainz: B. Schott’s Sohne, 1932 General note: No dynamic indications appear in source A except the crese. - decresc.,m. 4 voice. All others are editorial, whether in EP or by the present editor. This is Debussy’s shortest published song, although the earlier and unpublished “Madrid” contains only 18 measures. 1. The ttle in both Debussy's autograph and the poet Banville is “Triolet & Philis.” “Zéphyr” is the customary title, which appeared in source EP. 2. The present introduction of 1 1/2 m. occurs only in EP, which derived it from the final 3m. Source A begins at the present m. 2, following a silent downbeat. 3. A contains a-natural! in Lh. The naturals to each a in rh. are struck out in A and replaced by sharp. Also because of the line in the Lh, the uncertain a in Lh. is omitted, 4. As also in m.1, EP but not A doubles the r-h. upper line in the L.h. one octave lower: cl, b, gi, €. '5. Source A is signed and dated “Rome, Novembre 1881, Ach. [Achille] Debussy.” Aimons-nous et dormons (Let us love and sleep) Aimons-nous et dormons ‘Sans songer au reste du monde; Nile flot dela mer, ni 'ouragan des monts, ‘Tant que nous nous aimons Ne courbera ta téte blonde, ‘Car amour est plus fort (Que les dicux et la mort! Le soleil s'éeindrait Pour laisse ta blancheur plus pure. Le vent, qui jusqu’d tere incline Ia forst, En passant noserait Jouer avec ta chevelure, Tant que tu cacheras Ta tte entre mes brast Et lorsque nos deux coeurs S'en iront aux spheres heureuses ‘01 les célestesIys 6cloront sous nos pleurs , Alors, comme deux fleur, oignons nos Ievres amoureuses, Ettichons ’épuiser La mort dans un baiser! SOURCES Letus love and sleep Without thinking ofthe rest of the world: [Neither the surge ofthe sea, nor the mountain storm, As long as we love each other Will ouch your blond head, For love is stronger ‘Than the gods and death! ‘The sun will fade away To let your innocence shine more pure. The wind, which bends the forest tothe ground, When passing would not dare To play in your hair, As long as you hide Your head in my arms! ‘And when our two hearts ‘Shall go away to happy realms Where celestial lilies shall bloom beneath our tears, Then, like two flowers, Let us join our loving lips, ‘And seek to extinguish Death by a kiss! ‘A: Collection Alphandéry, Montfavet, France EP: The Etude, February 1933, p. 110-111. Source EP is transposed to D major; the key of source A is E ‘major, as given here. ‘The dedication “a mon ami Paul Vidal” appears in source EP, although no dedication is observed in source A. Pethaps it appeared on a cover page ofthe autograph, now lost. 1. Source A contains slurs only in m. 1-5, 18-19, 25, 36-37, and 39. All others in this edition are editorial, following the suggestion of the few slurs that do appear. 2. Source A lacks the naturals to d’s in piano part, m. 29-31. EP (transposed) confirms this editorial choice, which considers the modulation to E-flat. 3. A: first pitch in rh. is £3; 43 printed here by analogy with surrounding octave patterns. Jane Je pls et tombe en langueur: Deux beaux yeux mont brisé le cur. 1 grow pale and succomb to languor: Two beautiful eyes have broken my heart, Rose puree eto humid, © Rose purple and moist, "ait pas sa levre en feu; Itwas not her lips afire; Caton ss yur boa blew Inwas her eyes ofa blue so beautiful Sous lor de sa tree fluide. Beneath the gold of her flowing tresses. Je pls. I grow pale ‘Toute mon ame fut rave, ‘Doux étaient son rire et sa ‘Mais ses deux yeux bleus, je (Ont pris mes forces et ma ve. Jes. grow pale . My whole soul was ravished, How sweet were her laugh and her voice: But her two blue eyes, as I see Have overcome my strength and my life. 10 Jane, continued Hélas, la chose est bien certane: Alls, one thing is quite certain: ‘Si Jane repousse mon voeu, If Jane rejects my vow to her, Dans ses deux yeux d'un si beau blew Inher two eyes of s0 beautiful a blue ‘aurai puiser ma mort prochaine. Twill have 0 drink a taste of my death Je pls I grow pale... SOURCES A: Paris, Bibliothéque nationale, F.S. 197, which is a copy of the autograph that is in a private collection. EP: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania: Presser, 1982. Edited by Roy Howat General note: Unorthodoxies of stem direction in A have been regularized except when voice leading is suggested. Neither source A nor EP contain slur, expressive, or dynamic indications. EP indicates simply ‘mezza voce at m. 1. Printed indications thus are editorial. 1. EP:_Andantino; A: no tempo indication 2) A: J] in moving lines ofthe piano: EP: Jd } , by analogy with m. 18, 3, and 50 3. A, BP, and the poem: blessé instead of brisé. ‘The poem gives blessé in each of the 4 refrain couplets, altered by Debussy to brisé inthe last 3. In this edition, the first couplet is made parallel to Debussy's final 3, with brisé. 4, A: no treble clef m. 15 left hand (although a cancelling bass clef appears m. 17), and no rest m. 18. 5. A: no flat oa! inh. or double-flat to B, m. 27: EP as printed. The choice of double-flat to B derives intervallically from the analogous line, m. 29. 6. Flats to b! and 6? in rh, are editorial and avoid the clash with c, as also the odd diminished 4th, b to e-flat 7. A includes certain indistinct alterations in m. 35; the natural to g in Lh. is an editorial suggestion of EP. EP reads a! not f-sharp! on the syllable ‘bri-’ of “brisé.” 8, Naturals to d in m, 42-45 are editorial suggestions of EP. A, upper line Lh: .)y.by) ; BP: rDydy J. ‘The present solution resolves the inaccuracy of A by regarding its vertical alignment. 9. EP (printed) but not A: low bass chord m. 45. A, m. 44: “Jiri puisé,” an incorrect usage; EP: “ira puiser,” a reading not found in source A or in the poem. The text of Leconte de Lisle, “S'aurai puiser,” is printed here. 10. A: misplaced natural to f; EP reads the note b instead of the natural. EP as printed, parallel with m. 3. Pierrot Le bon Pierrot, que Ia foule contemple, The good Pierrot, whom the crowd watches, ‘Ayant fini ls noces 4 Arlequia, Having finished at Harlequin's wedding, Suit ensongeant le boulevard du Temple. Wanders as in a dream along the Boulevard du Temple, Une fillete au souple casaquin A young girl in a flimsy blouse En vain Iagace de son cil coquin; Ivvain emices him with her scamp's eye: Ex cependant mystrieuse et lisse ‘And meanwhile, mysterious and shiny Feisant de lisa plus chere delice, ‘Making him its dearest deligh, Lablanche lune aux comes de aurea The while moon with horns of a bull Jette un regard de son aril en coulisse Casts.a glance ofsage ‘son ami Jean Gaspard Debureau, Athis friend Jean Gaspard Debureau. SOURCES ‘A: Washington, D.C., Library of Congress EP: Revue musicale, musical supplement of May 1, 1926 1. The incipt from the French folksong appears in A and EP, along with the indication “Musique sur lair de “Au clair de la lune, mon ami Pierrot.’ 2. A: the # to c? in voice seems in error; EP as printed. 3. Aand EP: J) instead of J) for “tui” in voice, m. 36; here the intended “lu-i” is clarified. A and EP, 1m, 37 in apparent error.) .) dn indivisible syllable “che”, Plerro comtinied u 4. A: no sharp to a; EP: editorial natural, as printed. It is possible that Debussy intended to continue the receding sharp to a. S. A: Lh. staf is blank; EP as printed, EP omits lower line of r.h. (c-sharp, b, g-sharp, e); A as printed. 6. The word “oeit” naturally divides as a diphthong; hence the 2 notes in the voice. 7. Jean Gaspard Dubureau (1796-1848) was a mime celebrated for the role of Pierrot (per M. Cobb, Poetic Debussy, 1982.). Rondeau Ful jamais doueeur de coeur pareille ‘A voir Manon dans mes bras, sommeiller. Son front coquet parfume loreller, ‘Dans son beau sein, j'entends son coeur qui velle. Un songe passe et sen vient I'égayer. Alnsi s'endort a fleur d'églantier Dans son calice enfermant une abeille. Mais e jour vient, le aurore vemeille Effuille au vert son prntemptsvirginal, Le peigne en main et a perle a oreile ‘Xson miroir, Manon va’ ouble. elas! 'amour sans lendemain ni ville Fut-il jamais? SOURCES Was there ever a sweetness of heart like Seeing Manon in my arms, slumbering. Her pretty brow perfumes the pillow, Within her beautiful breast, Ihear her heart awaken. A dream passes and comes away to enliven her. ‘Thus sleeps the sweetbrar flower {nits lower cup enclosing a bee. ‘As for me, erade her—a more delish occupation, Was there ever? ‘But daybreak comes, and the rosy dawn Scatter tothe winds her virginal springtime, With comb in hand and a pearl in her ear Ather mirror, Manon shall forget me. ‘Alas, love without yesterday or tomorrow Was there ever? ‘A: formerly owned by the publisher Schott, and now apparently lost EP: Mainz: B. Schott’s Séhne, 1932 1. EP: “Pour mon ami Alexander de Meck, souvenir bien affectueux.” The date of composition, 1882, appears on EP. 2. In the Musset poem: “une fleur d’églantier.” The natural to a! in Lh. is editorial, and continues the imervallic sequence, but is notin EP. 3. Musset: “Son bouquet printanier” 4, Musset: “Manon court m’oublier.” Féte galante (Courtly outing) ‘Voila Sylvandre et Lycas et Myr, Car est ce soir fte chez Cydalise. Partout dans lair court un parfum subti; Dans le grand parc od tout s'idéalise ‘Avec la rose Aminthe rivalise Philis, Eglé, que suivent leurs amants CCherchent Iombrage en mille endroit charmants; Dans le soleil qui sirite et qui joue, Ltantd’orgueil avec les diamants, Sur le chemin, le Paon blane fait la roue. There are Silvandre and Lycas and Myr, For this evening there's an outing at Cydalise's. All about a subtle perfume fils the air: In the great park where all is perfection ‘Aminthe rivals the rose. Philis, Egle, who are following after their lovers, Search among the shadows ina thousand charming places; In the bright sun that excites and plays about, Vying proudly with diamonds, ‘Across their path the white peacock vaunts his plumage. 2 Fite galante,cominued SOURCES ‘A: Collection Frangois Lang, Abbaye de Royaumont, France ‘Not examined is another autograph, formerly in the Collection Morssen, currently Bibliothéque nationale. It contains the inscription “Musique Louis IXV {i.e. XIV 7] avec formules 1882.” EP: Paris: Jobert, 1984 [c1985]. Edited by James Briscoe in the collection Sept Podmes de Banville General note: “Féte galante” is an early version of the “Menuet” from Debussy’s Petite Suite (1889). 1. A but not EP: dim. ¢ rit, m. 8. The a tempo of m. 9 is an editorial insertion for the present edition. 2. The poem by Banville: ““Cherchent l’ombrage et les abris...” Beau soir (Beautiful Evening) ‘Lorsque au soleil couchant le rvéres sont roses, When inthe seting sun the rivers are rose, [Et qu'un tiéde frisson court sur les champs de blé And when a warm rustle of breeze crosses the wheat fields, Un conseil d'etre heureux semble sortir des choses ‘A-counsel to be happy seems to come forth from al things Et monter vers le cur troublé; ‘And ascend tothe fearful hear Un conseil de godter le charme d'etre au monde A counsel to relish the charm of being inthis world ‘Cependant qu'on est jeune et que le soir est beau, While one is young and while the evening is beaut, ‘Car nous nous en allons, comme s'en vacette onde: Fore are going away as this wave goes away: Elle la mer, nous au tombeau! Ito the sea, we tothe grave! SOURCES ‘A: not traced E; Paris: Veuve Girod, 1891 [date of legal deposit] ‘The date of composition has been approximated variously, from 1878 to the present 1883. The song is ‘more advanced stylistically than Debussy’s first songs; ifthe autograph is ever traced, its composition might be seen to be closer to the 1891 publication date than heretofore suspected. Fétes galantes pour Madame Vasnier (Fetes galantes for Madame Vasnier) I. Pantomime Pierrot, quin’a rien d’un Clitandre, Pierrot, who is nothing like Clitandre, Vide un flacon sans plus attendre, Empties a flask without further ado, BB, pratique, entame un paté ‘And, practical fellow, cuts into a paté. Pierrot, qui n’a rien d’un Clitandre, Pierrot, who is nothing like Clitandre, ‘Vide un flacon sans plus attendre. Empties a flask without further ado. CCassandre, au fond de avenue, Cassandre, atthe end ofthe path, ‘Verse une larme méconnue ‘Sheds a concealed tear ‘Sur son neveu déshérité (Over her disinkerited nephew. Ce faquin d'Arlequin combine That rascal Harlequin schemes L'enlevement de Colombine The kidnap of Columbine Etpirovette quatre fois, And whirls about four times, Et pirouette quatre fois ‘And whirls about four times. Pantomime, continued Colombine reve, surprise De sentir un eaeur dans la brise Et ’entendre en son coeur des voix, Et d’entendre en son coeur des voix. B Columbine is dreaming, surprised At sensing a heart caught on the breeze ‘And at hearing voices in her heart, ‘And at hearing voices in her heart. General note for the set Fétes galantes for Madame Vasnier: ‘The source that contained the first versions and present order is Paris, Bibliothéque nationale, manuscript 17716. ‘The flyleaf of this “Recueil Vasnier” contains a dedication to Madame Vasnier: “These songs that have lived only because of her, and that would lose their charm and grace if ever they ‘ceased to pass through her lips of a melodious fairy. The eternally grateful author’ The ttle page indicates the present order of the songs and is signed “A. [Achille] Debussy.” Debussy used his first given name until the late 1880's, when be began to sign the full “Achille Claude” or “Claude Achille.” After 1892, he signed simply “Claude Debussy,” as if leaving his name of youth behind with the style. Note the later versions of “En sourdine,” “Fantoches,” and “Clair de lune” in set I of Fétes galantes (1891-92). Notes for “Pantomime” ‘SOURCES ‘A: the “Recueil Vasnier” described above EP: Revue musicale, musical supplement of May 1, 1926 As with all posthumous editions, EP is treated as supplemental, and source A is printed except as indicated, 1, The date of 1882 does not appear in A but is suggested by the relationship to the other songs dated in that year. 2. A: no bass clef 3, AandEP: lh. upper voice same rhythm ah. Here made consistent with m, 10, 14-15, and 57-58. : EP: J as printed on beat one, voice. ‘The text repetition, “Pierro...attendre” (m. 22-25), is found soar Att otin the Verne poem. 5. A and EP include b! in ch. at syllable "-I2-"; EP interpolates ¢? in rh. at syllable “Co-”. The present solution regularizes the passage according to the pattern apparently intended in m. 39-40. The text repetition “Et pirouette quatre fois,” m. 43-44, is by Debussy but not Verlaine, as is that of m. 55-56. IL. En sourdine (Muted) CCalmes dans le demi-jour Calm inthe halflight ‘Que les branches hautes font, That the high branches make, Pénétrons bien notre amour Let us permeate our love De ce silence profond, With this profound silence. Fondons nos mes, nos cceurs ‘Let us melt together our souls, our hearts Brnos sens extasis, ‘And our senses in ecsiasy, Parmi les vagues langueurs ‘Among the vague languors Des pins et des arbousiers. (Of the pines and strawberry trees Ferme tes yeux a demi, Half close your eyes, CCroise tes bras sur ton Sein, Fold your arms on your breast, Et de ton corr endormi ‘And from your sleeping heart (Chasse & jamais tout dessein Drive away all care forever, Laissons-nous persuader Let us be drawn ‘Au souffle berceur et doux, By the gentle, rocking wind, (Qui vient & tes pieds rider That comes and ripples at Your feet Les ondes de gazon roux. The waves of russet grass “ En sourdine, cominued Et quand, solennel, le soir ‘And when solemnity the evening Des chénes tombera, ‘Shall fall from the dark oaks, Voix de notre désespoir, That voice of our despair, ‘Le rossignol chantera, The nightingale will sing. Voix de notre désespoir, That voice of our despair, Le rossignol changera, The nightingale will sing. SOURCES ‘A: Collection of Mrs. Daniel Drachman, a copy of which is on deposit at Washington, Library of Congress. The Drachman manuscript is the obvious reference for EP, which in turn is the familiar, early version of “En sourdine” that is continued here. However, all bracketed indications of tempo and dynamics, and all slurs except m. 19-23, derive from manuscript 1 below. Three other autograph versions were consulted: 1) New York, Pierpont Morgan Library (formerly Collection Cobb), which varies in details ofthe piano part and contains a slightly extended ending; 2) Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University, Houghton Library, which is incomplete; and 3) Paris, Bibliothéque nationale Ms. 17716/1 (2). The latter autograph gives the dedication "a Mme Vasnier,” which does not appear in source A. Permission to consult and cite these sources is gratefully acknowledged. EP: Philadelphia: Elkan-Vogel, 1944, Published with the ttle “Calmes dans le der jour” General Note: The text repetition “Voix...chantera” is by Debussy but not Verlaine. |. EP but not A: flats tod and e A and EP: no g! natural m. 31 or 32 beats 1-2. Included for consistency with m. 30 and 33. |. A: no 8va m, 38-48; EP as printed and necessitated by Lh. ascent, as at m. 38-40 etc. 2. 3. A: no final syllable of crescendo; EP as printed, with the crescendo extending through m. 34. 4 5. Sharp to each dis editorial reminder in EP. 6. A,atend: "“Vienne—16 Sep. 82” [Vienna, 16 September 1882] IIL. Mandoline (Mandolin) Les donneurs de sérénades The serenaders Ets belles 6couteuses And the beautiful listeners Echangent des propos fades Exchange hollow gossip ‘Sous les ramures chanteuses. Beneath the singing branches. Crest Tircisetc’est Aminte, Here's Tircis and here Aminte, Etc’est'étemel Cit ‘And here is the eternal Cltandire, Etc'est Damis qui pour mainte ‘And here is Damis who for many a ‘Cruelle fait maint vers tendre, (Cruel lady made many a tender verse. LLeurs courtes vests de soie, Their shor silk jackets, LLeurs longues robes & queues, Their long gowns with trains, Leur élégance, leur joie Their elegance, their joy Et leurs molles ombres bleves ‘And their soft blue shadows ourbillonnent dans lextase ‘Swirl in he ecstasy D'une lune rose et gris, fa gray and pink moon, Et la mandoline jase ‘And the mandoline chatters arm les fissons de brise. ‘SOURCES ‘Amidst the trembling ofthe breeze Al: Paris, Biblioth¢que nationale, “Recueil Vasnier,” with dedication to Mme Vasnier and the date “25, Novembre 1882, Vienne [Vienn: ‘A2: Cambridge Mass., Harvard University. By kind permission of the Houghton Library. 1s Mandolin, continued El: Paris: Durand et Schoenwerk, 1890, A related [identical”} publication ofthe song in La Revue Ilustrée, 1 Sept. 1890, has not been examined. 2: Paris: Durand, 1905 (with English and French texts). Neither E1 nor E2 contains a dedication. E2 is a new engraving of El, although E2 seems inadvertently to ‘omit a few details found in El. El is thus considered to have priority. Al and A2 differ from each other and from El. However, A2 is closer to El, seems to be a revision of Al, and is thus considered the primary autograph. No proof copy or revised autograph leading to El is known. 2 differs from El ina ‘number of dynamic and expressive indications; El thus is printed except as noted. 1. A2: Follement gai; Al: Allegretto vivace; Bl: Allegretto 2. Al and A2 but not El: con sordino 3. A2: p but without et léger, as El. A2 gives 4 m. of introduction following m. 1 fermata; El gives 2 m., as printed. 4, A2 sustains b-flatl only 1 beat (J. ) in m. 13; El as printed, The A2 accompaniment, m. 15-17, continues the manner of m. 2-10; El as printed. A2: “C'est Tircs et c'est Lycandre...” 5. A2: un poco retenu; El has no indication, 6. El revises A2 where rhythms in the voice are concerned, m. 28-34 (m, numbers in the printed and El readings) 7. A2: “arise et rose” 8. El revises the rh. of A2 by simplifying it, m. 50-53 9. A2 contains 16 m. in the vocalise from this point to the end; El as printed, 18 m. from here to the end. In this passage, A2 is significantly more florid in the voice part than is El (printed). IV. Clair de lune (Moonlight) ‘Votre me est un paysage choisi Your soul isa choice landscape (Que vont charmant masques et bergamasques Where charming maskers and bergamaskers go about Jouant duluth et dansant et quasi tristes Playing the lute and dancing and are almost Sous leurs déguisements Fantasques Sad beneath their whimsical disguises. ‘Tout en chantant sur le mode mineur While singing inthe minor of [L'amour vaingueur et la vie opportune, Love triumphant and of the good life, Ts n'ont pas Mair de crore & leur bonheur They seem not to believe in their own happiness Et leur chanson se méle au clair de lune, ‘And their song is mixed and lost in the moonlight, Et leur chanson se méle au clair de lune, ‘And their song is mixed and lost in the moonlight, ‘Au calme clair de lune triste et beau, {In the calm moonlight, sad and beautiful, Qui fait rever les oiseaux dans les arbres That makes the birds dream inthe trees Ex sangloterd’extase les jets d'eau, ‘And the fountains sob in ecstasy, Les grands jets d'eau svetes parmi les marbres. Those tall, slender fountains among the statues, ‘Au calme clair de lune triste et beau. ‘Ak, calm moonlight, sad and beautiful SOURCES Al: Paris, Biblioth’que nationale, “Recueil Vasnier,” where the dedication to Madame Vasnier appears. A2: Chicago, Newberry Library. Sparseness of expressive details suggests this to be an earlier version than Al. EP: Revue musicale, musical supplement of May 1, 1926 General Note: The repetitions “Et leur chanson...” and “Au calme...” are by Debussy but not Verlaine. 1, A2: Allegro; Al and EP: Andantino 2. A2notatesm.10 [J] and without a fermata; Al and EP as printed, articulating the entrance of the voice. 16 (Clair de lune, continued 3, ‘The dynamic indications m, 24-25 derive from EP, as do many hereafter. Al and especially A2 are sparse and inconsistent in dynamics. Similarly EP has regularized certain ties, such as when Al and A2 ‘omit them at m, 13 and 17. EP, m. 25 beat 2 rh: 4, EP, rh. m. 26: 2 Al and A2 as printed. 5. Aland A2 extend the r.h. diad throughout m. 29-30, and A2 extends the low bass diad m. 29-30. EP as printed. 6. EP: no low bass, m. 32 and 34; Al: no low bass, m. 34. A2as printed. 7. EP and Al inerror: a! not g-sharp! in ch. m. 32 and 34. A2 as printed. 8. EP m. 40 Lh: apt ‘Al and A2 as printed. SSS 9. EP and Al m. 43-46 rth. ‘A2as printed. 10, EP m. 47-49 rhs oO Al and A2 as printed. EP m, 47-49 doubles the b-c! in Lh. atthe octave, b!-c2, Al and A2 do not (as printed). 11. A2 in the voice sustains the e-sharp! on the syllable 1 throughout m. 52-53 (Jd). Al and A2, m. 50-53 Lh. fo ye J 12. The optional lower pitches inthe voice, m. 57, represent that line as given in A2. EP m. 56-57 sustains g-sharp! throughout each measure ( J). A1 and A2 as printed. 13. EP interpolates rtenuto at m. 63, perhaps inappropriate to the rhythmic continuation. EP m. 64 beat 3, voice: g-sharp2; m. 66 beat 2-and: c-sharp® not b!. Al and A2.as printed. EP interpolates natural to e 1m, 63-68 (as printed). 14. EP, beats 1-2: J), not | , as Al and A2 (printed). EP adds c-sharp? to chord. 15. EPand AL interpolate Fitenuto-a tempo m. 72-73 (printed). E: morendo et trés retenu m. 77 (printed), and a vocalise in m. 75-76, not found in Al and A2 and not printed. 16. A2 gives a repetitive piano ending of 6 measures, as contrasted withthe 3 m. in EP and Al (printed). V. Fantoches (Marionettes) ‘Scaramouche et Puleinella (Qu’un mauvais dessein rassembla Gesticulent, noirs sous la lune. ‘Cependant excellent docteur Bolonais cueille avec lenteur Des simples parmi ’herbe brune. LLors sa fille, piquant minois, ‘Sous la charmille, en tapinois, Se glisse demi-nue, en quéte De son beau pirate espagnol, Dont un langoureux rossignol ‘Clame sa détresse &tue-t8te. Notes on the text, 7 Scaramouche and Pulcinella Whom some evil scheme brought together Gesticulate, dark figures beneath the moon. ‘Meanwhile, the fine doctor From Bologna slowly gathers ‘Simples among the dark grass. Then his daughter, that saucy looker, Beneath the bower slyly Sips in, half nude, in quest (Ofher handsome Spanish pirate, Whose distress a languourous nightingale Proclaims in full voice. ‘Scaramouche and Pulcinella are comic figures appearing in the traveling folk theatre of 18th century Italy, the Commedia dell"arte. The “doctor from Bologna” might be Pantaloon, Columbine’s father. “Simples” are herbs used for medicine. SOURCES ‘A: Paris, Biblioth?que nationale Ms. 1716/1. Recueil Vasnier, dated “8 Janvier 1882...” ‘A closely related version is found in the New York City Public Library-Lincoln Center, Special Collections. It differs primarily by its simplified vocalise at the end, E: the present version is unpublished but closely resembles the 1891 version of “Fantoches,” which is in the public domain. ‘The Bibliotheque nationale is thanked for its authorization. 1. The date of composition in source A might not be in Debussy's hand. 2. The editorially bracketed dynamic levels, slurs, and expressive indications, and bracketed articulations in the voice follow the usage in the 1891 version, 3. The text repetitions of m. 12-16, 44-46, and 52-55, as well as the ending vocalise are by Debussy but not the poet Verlaine. 4. A: sharp toa in rh, apparently in error. Here the parallel reading of m. 24 is followed, 5. A: gelal over both syllables “tres-se” 6. A: ho sharp to g? in voice. It is possible that Debussy intended g-natural m. 71-73 and the emphasis of

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