Three Great Orchestral Works in Full Score: Prélude a l'Après-MIDI d'Un Faune, Nocturnes, La Mer

by Claude Debussy

"It may be in fact that I have taken on a task that is too much for me: there is no precedent, so I am obliged to invent new forms." -- Claude Debussy.
Unquestionably one of the most influential of modern composers, Claude Debussy (1862-1918) overturned traditional concepts of form, harmony, and coloring in creating a body of music characterized by innovation, individuality of style, and perfection of workmanship.
Among his most popular,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486244415
• ISBN13: 9780486244419
• Release Date: May 1983
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 9.3" x 12.2"

Customer Reviews

Dover's reprints most of the time are outstanding!

Sure, there can occasionally be problems with reprints of older editions (and I've seen some quite poor ones at that, notably with Belwin-Kalmus!); however, this one of Dover (as well as their reprint of the same composer's opera "Pelléas et Mélisande") is not one I'd slight in the least. My copy has very few problems indeed. I recommend this one unreservedly!

The Problem with Reprints

As the earlier reviewer pointed out, this Dover edition is a reprint of the orginal Durand score issued in the first decade of the 20th century. The downside of a reprint edition, especially from French publishers, who had a very distinctive engraving style, is that stems and staves tend to disappear in places, which makes it hard to read. Even so, Dover does a great service by making this masterpiece (I don't use that term lightly!) available at a reasonable price. If you really want to have a clean modern engraving, you'll have to shell out more than $100 for the cloth-bound critical edition.

music

1.Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun 2.Nocturnes (a).Clouds (b).Festivals (c).Sirens 3.La Mer (a).From Down to Noon on the Sea (b).Wave Play (c).Dialogue of Wind and Sea