This album collects all of Debussy's songs for voice and piano based on poems in verse by contemporary poets, excluding his very first songs and a few specific cycles.
Composition History
Debussy's five Baudelaire poems correspond to his 'Wagnerian period' (1887-91), featuring a more lyrical aesthetic with harmonies and chromaticism similar to Wagner's style.
Composer Biography
Debussy was a great reader of modern poetry and regularly attended Stéphane Mallarmé's 'Tuesdays' starting in 1887, which inspired his Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.
Performer Biography
Nadia Jauneau-Cury, the soprano on this album, has won the Grand Prize in Contemporary Music at the Clermont-Ferrand Competition (1987) and the Francis Poulenc Competition in Lille (1990).
Composer's Artistic Vision
Claude Debussy, the composer, aimed to interpret the 'music' of poems as a poet and musician, rather than simply setting them to music.
Compositional Technique
Debussy's Ariettes oubliées, based on poems by Verlaine, were his first song cycle and a decisive contribution to the genre, showcasing new expression in voice and accompaniment.
Performer Biography
Sébastien Jaudon, the pianist, divides his time between chamber music, lyric accompaniment, instrumental and vocal arrangement, and teaching at the Grenoble Conservatory.
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