Debussy's Prelude a l'apres midi d'un faune

Homework from Chris, better late than never (perhaps).

Mark, I’ve read the poem several times in English before listening to several performances of the music, and the result, it must be said, is no clear conclusion! In my previous post I compared L-apres midi with La Mer. The latter has only short titles for each movement, to give us a clue as to what Debussy is aiming to describe/evoke in his music.  It is enough.  In the case of the Prelude, like you Mark, I had known it for years without having read the poem. Does reading the poem in detail add anything to the music? For me, doubtful I think. 

First the music itself. The simplest analysis would, I suppose, have an almost ABA form. A languid section dominated by the intertwining of flute(s) and oboes, a more overtly (from 3’00”)‘romantic’ section dominated by strings and horns, and (at 6’00”) a return to the material of the languid first section.

Some things we can clearly find in the poem. In the first section, Debussy catches perfectly from the start the feeling of a hot, sultry, Mediterranean day and of course takes up the repeated references to the sound of pipes (flutes and oboes). Their intertwining may also describe the erotic intertwining of the nymphs? Then comes a more erotic ‘B’ part. Now, if we are following the poem, it becomes more difficult.  This section begins with the mildly aggressive section dominated by angry figures from the clarinets. (from 3’00’ to 3’30”).  This seems to me to be the only point in the music that could depict the faun’s separation of the nymphs.  But if so, surely it is too early, and why is this followed by the most erotic/romantic section of the music, and why a really rather simple return to the flutes and oboes and the opening mood? Perhaps this is the dissonance referred to by the poet.

Interestingly,within what I’ve called the ‘B’ part, we may possibly see some more specific reference to the poem, depending on the view of the conductor in question.  Conductors such as Munch and Cluytens, who tend to emphasise (superbly) the romantic side of Debussy’s music, tend to emphasise that side of the music in this section, with rich, full strings supported by glowing horns. Lovely. Compare with Boulez (and as far as I remember Monteux) and a different view emerges with the disturbing woodwind figures given much more prominence - something these performances share with one of the earliest recordings [from 1930, by Walther Straram and his Orchestre de Concerts Straram (reissued by Andante)].  These, and probably other recordings that I don’t know) give to different degrees a more disturbing feel to this section, perhaps more in tune with the intentions of the poet).

Ultimately I think Parla is largely right in saying “I don't think Debussy wished to depict in music what it's written in Mallarme's poem. As usually, the poem is a point de depart (a starting point), an inspiration.” Perhaps there are illusions to particular parts of the poem, but whether these are important for the listener, I’m doubtful.  As for the ‘dissonance referred to by the poet, my guess would be that it concerned the more ‘romantic’ style of the middle section, something which appears to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the performance.

In passing, a comparison that might be interesting is with Schoeberg’s Verklärte Nacht, based around a poem by Richard Dehmel. Perhaps another day!

Best wishes,

Chris

PS: My timings refer to Munch, Boulez and Straram, all of whom take almost exactly 9’00” for the work.  Martinon and Dutoit are much slower and take 10’30” and appropriate adjustments are required!

OK. More to do!  I suppose I did not attempt an answer to your final general question:

"I think what I was getting at in the original post Chris was that sometimes when you look at the issues and differing interpretations and analyses of something it can seem that there are no certainties about that thing. In this case there have been I gather lots of debates about the exact correlation between text and poem."

I will think more about this later today, or at least by the time you have finished your musical work.

Chris

Thanks Mark, for your interesting comments.  There is much more to be said about this subject, moving from poems to epigrams to pictures..... but I shall be away for a few days so they will have to wait!   it seems that this subject fascinates only the two of us at the moment too.  Never mind! Two is enough.

all the best,

Chris