Claude Debussy (1862-1918): "Il pleure dans mon coeur"

The composer Claude Debussy needs little introduction. As a pianist, he was noted for his avoidance of the crisp, dry and articulated style which typified French pianism of the nineteenth century. His style of playing was simple, highly tone-conscious and completely uncluttered by over-expressive angst.

Sadly he made no solo piano acoustic recordings, only piano rolls. However, he was recorded as accompanist to the soprano Mary Garden, in 1904, performing some of his own vocal music.

This is one of his "Ariettes Oubliées" (forgotten airs).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Claude
• Debussy
• piano
• recording
• classical
• Ariettes
• Oubliées
• Il
• pleure
• dans
• mon
• coeur
• Mary
• Garden
• accompanist

[ratisbon]

Surely this isn't a piano roll but a wax cylinder??

[d60944]

Yes, this is one of the recordings I mentioned accompanying Mary Garden in 1904. The recordings are flat discs, not wax rolls, for the G&T company.

[operagirl89]

How wonderful it is being able to hear Debussy playing his own music! Thank you for posting this!

[Freotheric]

It's worth noting that Mary Garden also created the role of Mélisande in 1902 -- at Debussy's insistance. What a perfect voice she had for this music!

[rachelfryer]

Is there anything else of Debussy playing? I'd love to hear more...

[ricardo00004170]

gracias por esta joya. aunque se escuche apenas el piano del maestro que abrio la cabeza a un siglo de sucesores. ojala alguien la restaure algun dia y ponga esas teclas en primer plano, gracias una vez mas. hermoso regalo y sorpresa.

ricardo moyano

[TheKsk1997]

P. Verlaine's poem modified.

[floorembden]

Un oiseau chante… Un merle… On ne l’entend qu’à peine…

Un premier merle au ciel prend des reflets de laine,

Tresse les bords du jour comme d’échos discrets…

Peu de lumière encor pour appuyer ses traits.

Nul messager que lui, pour cette entrée en scène…

Mais ces reflets, ce ciel… Un peu « façon Verlaine »…

[floorembden]

(II) La note fraîche, frêle, en perles d’eau s’égrène

Comme un ruisseau très clair longe un trottoir de grès.

Mais au moins lui, l’oiseau, peut vous parler de près…

Moi l’aube, moi l’aurore avive mes regrets

De ne pouvoir chanter qu’une clarté lointaine.

(anonyme)

[Fuliginosus]

I wish Debussy had said something at the end.

[Virginielie]

It is a beautiful " voice " for Debussy's melodies ...

[Varese52]

Debussy's post-romantic aesthetic shouldn't be understood to mean that absolutely no rubato should be used where appropriate. I think that the steady tempo in this song refers directly to its title, literally: "It rains in my heart". Rain, of course, comes down steadily, without rubato. On the other hand, Debussy is generally very specific in the instructions one finds in his scores and, not infrequently, he does invite a good deal of flexibility in the performance of his works.

[GeorgeEnescu]

This one is not a piano roll - it's an actual acoustic recording from 1904.