Debussy: Clair de Lune, Stanley Black, London Symphony Orchestra, (Vinyl)

[Atheneastro]

Ren and Stimpy brought me here, especially the latter. Oh, the darling, sweet latter...

[Composerwizard]

@Atheneastro LOL you are the second person to say this here. I wasn't aware Ren & Stimpy had some classsical music albums. I think I found the link you are referring to (it is a very nice version of Clair de Lune too) but I tried to post it here and I couldn't (an error window popped up).

[Atheneastro]

@Composerwizard Ha, ha, ha! Oh, well!

[lucy10by]

1 person clearly doesn't have good taste in Impressionist music. I love this song and I have Radio 1 to thank - just beautiful

[StripeRich]

@lucy10by: Arguably the best impressionist piece (even if Debussy didn't like that apellation) of all time. Even the simplest piano version evokes in me a whole range of emotions...from melancholy through insouciance and whimsy...to philosophical reflection or nostalgic yearning and ultimately - hopefulness and aspiration. Likewise, this instrumental rendition leaves me smiling in a puddle of tears, and somehow - uplifted.

[Mr20080711]

linda,não sei descrever..musica um estado de alma e acredito q ele foi inspirado por deus,que de nosso criador provem todas as belezas!!

[alemontenegrocastro]

Wm

mmm

[matthewsear]

How can 1 person dislike. what did they expect, An amazing piece of music

[YoungBradiful]

Chris Moyles plays it every morning at 7:20 and it sends me off to work on a cloud...nuff said!!!

[sandovita4]

ooh gosh! how beautiful!!!!!

[LurvYhooXX]

They used to play this song when I was in primary school, back then I never understood good music, I was into the stupid mainstream crap.

[TiagoHikaru]

Heaven...

[itschokechap]

I totally love the horn at 4:22 and 4:33! This C-Flat in that Db chord makes the ending so perfect!

[Composerwizard]

@itschokechap Yes, the C flat makes the chord be Db dominant seven (V of IV) instead of the usual Dflat major. Sounds like a bittersweet "goodbye" chord to me... first resolving to the elegant subdominant, and then to the nostalgic Bb minor in those 4 bars. Both the Ormandy version and this one have the horn doing that note... it does sound like the perfect choice.

[roxgirl324]

I hate it when people say they don't like classical music. It's the most beautiful, peaceful thing known to man. I don't get how one can possibly NOT fall in love with a song like this.

[edshift]

That was a fantastic video and a really nice arrangement of the piece.

Thanks for posting.

Really great video.

[Composerwizard]

@edshift Thank you very much! I was on a trip around Europe and I didn't see your nice message until today...

[MrNorm1949]

My late mother had this on a 12-inch 78RPM record. I still get a little nostalgic for her whenever I hear the piece.

[B17Boy]

If you want to hear a beautiful arrangement of Clair de Lune, see this video.

watch?v=gElTKhbnQxU

[Composerwizard]

@B17Boy Thank you for the link! Yes, it is a very beautiful arrangement and performance. I loved the sound of the strings (specially the first time they appear), and the interpretation was never too loud, and also very sensitive. I had heard that version before (it is an orchestration by Stokowsky) but not by that conductor in the video. I must admit it is at least as good as this version I have here, and not too different (if I compare it to others that I've heard), except for the beggining.

[organboi]

Who's Stanley Black? Regardless, Debussy wrote the piece and the marvelous orchestra is the one playing it. I think this "orchestration" is a bit convoluted and not true to what Debussy might have done had he orchestrated it himself. The celeste is overkill in my opinion. I do like the forward moving tempos though. And it seems there is too much instrumentation changes. Why couldn't he just use the same sounds throughout, instead of changing instruments for no structural reason?

[Composerwizard]

@organboi At last, a connoisseur! Thanks for the stimulating comments. It is not my intention to highlight this conductor as the hero of this performance; the LSO is an amazing orchestra with great performers. But I do give Mr. Black credit for the wonderful phrasing and the forward moving tempos (as you pointed out). Other versions seem rushed to me in this sense, or too flighty.

[Composerwizard]

On the other side, I admit Stanley Black is more of a “Hollywood/easy listening music” conductor and this arrangement is tinted with some of those traits. I’m aware there are some great conductors (Boulez, Martinon) who have recorded Debussy’s orchestral works. I cherish many of those recordings. Wish I could post them here without getting the video banned.

[Composerwizard]

@organboi Oh, and I do agree Debussy would not have used this orchestration. He was also an unique orchestrator with few equals. But other orchestral versions of Clair de Lune have more radical instrumentation changes than this one. So, I’m intrigued: Besides the sugary presence of the Celeste, what instrumentation changes here seemed “too much” for you? I rather feel this version blends almost all instruments most of the time, with not too many contrasting colors…

[baljot1231]

Just a general shoutout to teenagers who come here to complain about their generation - no one gives a fuck. Just listen to this amazing piece and find 5 minutes where you don't complain about something.

[wishcraft4u2]

I'm here because of ren and stimpy.

[Composerwizard]

@wishcraft4u2 The ways of youtube are mysterious...:)

[OldirtyBastard50]

@wishcraft4u2 haha :)

[Atheneastro]

@wishcraft4u2 So am I... 'The Littlest Giant' and 'Son of Stimpy' brought me here, especially.

[billkrebaum]

Thank you for posting this wonderful video. Matching a sublime musical recording with great visuals... bravo!

[Composerwizard]

@billkrebaum Thanks Bill!



[live4sin]

One of the most beautiful tunes of all time...words are not necessary.

[thekajoner1]

beautiful, I just wish you could hear the bass lines a little more

[majorshibalover123]

wow what a beautiful song... what has happened to music? this song really puts our music society into perspective...compare this with, lets say, the song "Friday" Absolutely no comparison. i myself am a teen and consider this song, along with Gymnopedie by Erik Satie to be one of the greatest compositions of all time.

[Composerwizard]

@majorshibalover123 I didn't know what "Friday" (the song) was (I'm 43 years old, and I prefer music from the 60's, 70's & 80's)) so I went into your channel and saw the video. Hahahahaa ok I see your point more clearly... and thank you for the nice comment! And oh... I like Satie too...

[yukinatic]

propably one of the very best recordings.

I can see the moonlight....

[ImCalebRosengard]

Magnifique

[DrummersRock23]

I'm a metal listener and proud to be one, but I also greatly appreciate music like this. This song just about made me cry! Very, very beautiful music! (:

P.S. I'm sorry for all the rude, cocky, inconsiderate people that give my genre a bad name. We're not all bad (:

[Composerwizard]

@DrummersRock23 Cool! hahaha I believe you man... thank you for the comment....

[EasternMerchant]

@DrummersRock23 even in the classical music genre, this category of music is quite unique, it's known as the impressionistic age of classical music (circa late 19th early 20th century). It's probably one of the few times in Music history where music represents not that of the human emotion, but that of the natural world (Celestial bodies, planetary forces such as water, wind, fire, etc) That's why it has a healing quality. Unlike human emotion which invokes feelings of tension and passion.

[Composerwizard]

@mctimilsworth Thank you for this nice comment. Yes, I agree that a lot of what you hear in commercial music today is superficial (not to say worse things). I'm glad you like this. That means there still hope, and young people who also have a desire for the beautiful and the sublime.

[Hitmanfan91]

@mctimilsworth No doubt its taken a turn for the worst but there are still some who appreciate this, and love it. I'm one of them.

[EasternMerchant]

@mctimilsworth I can't begin to imagine what that generation of people must've been like. I wonder how it would be to have all those great artists, poets, inventors, and visionaries living in today's world, it would be like a truly fantastical renaissance!

[YoungBradiful]

@mctimilsworth Indeed!!!

[TheRevmack]

some might have heard this from ocean's eleven (maybe 12 or 13?) movies. the remakes but i believe this is what's played when they watch the bellagio fountains?

[Composerwizard]

@TheRevmack Yes, but the one in Oceans Eleven (if Im not mistaken) is a recording by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy. Ormandy is one of my favorite conductors, and the "Philadelphia sound" is often breathtaking. But his version of Clair de Lune gets a bit too loud and pompous for my taste. It is still never the less, a beautiful interpretation also (and that scene in the movie was remarkable).

[edgarme90]

Damn, those paintings are also beautiful

[edgarme90]

Truly AMAZING

[Composerwizard]

@edgarme90 Yeah, isn't it? It is a magical performance...

[edgarme90]

@Composerwizard Indeed. It's my favorite version too, I wonder why it isn't very well known. I'm not talking about personal taste, this particular version is outstanding at all lights; you have already pointed many characteristics in your description. Anyway, I'm glad you found and uploaded this, now I can enjoy it too.

[Composerwizard]

@edgarme90 So you had heard it before you saw this video?

[edgarme90]

@Composerwizard Haha, not really, but I guess I made it sound like that. No, here, this video, was the first time, and actually I don't even remember how I got to this video.

[gemblues]

This is amazing........thank you for posting!!

[jblazeup777]

tisha and james love song!!!!!!!!