Debussy - La Damoiselle Elue (3/3)

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Finished in 1888, this cantata for contralto, narrator, soprano soloist, female choir and orchestra, became one of the "envois" submitted by Debussy to the officials of the Grand Prix de Rome - whose favour he had found with "L'enfant prodigue". Such submissions were expected of a prize-winner, and it was intended that Debussy's chosen works would be performed at a concert. In fact this did not take place, and the cantata was not given in public until 1893. Then it was not a success, but later it attracted some popularity. More recently if fell into neglect - surprisingly so, for it is beautifully written, finely orchestrated and firmly constructed.

It is a setting of some stanzas from Dante Gabriel Rosetti's poem "The Blessed Damozel" - translated by Gabriel Sarrazin.

Janet Coster, mezzosoprano and the Symphonica of London conducted by Wynn Morris

Category:

Music

Tags:

• debussy
• cantata
• prix
• de
• rome

[billystewart4]

Somehow I missed this one when I was favoriting the other 2.

I just got the Esa-Pekka Salonen and the LA Philharmonic with Dawn Upshaw; Paula Rasmussen version of this and it is just as beautiful.

LOVE Salonen (mainly because of his Sibelius), but you probably knew that.

Best, my friend.

Billy