The Unassuming Masterpiece

[Operahaven]

I wanted to get an idea on what all of you think about Debussy's  Prelude to The Afternoon of A Faun, his early seminal masterpiece which is sometimes refererred to as  'a quiet and gentle revolution in music'. 

10 standing for absolute love and adoration.. 1 for complete indifference.

If you would like to briefly share why you either adore it or dislike it that would be nice to...

[Brian]

I voted 1, but my real feeling is "mild dislike".

[jochanaan]

It's lovely.  And as an orchestral oboist, I find it challenging musically; it's not technically difficult, but getting those phrases shaped just right is not easy. But "unassuming"?  As I recall, it caused quite a stir in its early days...

But of course, it's not so advanced or challenging as Jeux.

[Operahaven]

It's lovely.  And as an orchestral oboist, I find it challenging musically; it's not technically difficult, but getting those phrases shaped just right is not easy. But "unassuming"?  As I recall, it caused quite a stir in its early days...

But of course, it's not so advanced or challenging as Jeux.

Yes, quite a stir but please remember that the first audience in 1894, yes the  first  demanded an encore... 

[springrite]

6.25

[Operahaven]

6.25

That's not very encouraging... 

Seriously, I've never understood why there seems to be a lack of enthusiasm for it on these boards.

Why is that ? 

I find it utterly enchanting... Just an astounding masterpiece and with such a rich variety of delicate sounds... It just never ends for me. 

[hornteacher]

I understand why it has a place in the history of music, but I rarely listen to it.  I've just never gotten into French Impressionism in general.  I'm not slamming it, its just not my thing.

[Symphonien]

I enjoy its refined, aristocratic tones...

[Brian]

I understand why it has a place in the history of music, but I rarely listen to it.  I've just never gotten into French Impressionism in general.  I'm not slamming it, its just not my thing.

This probably describes my position, as La mer bores me too. 

[Kullervo]

Hi Corey,

Why didn't you vote ?

Regards.

Why?

I like the Prélude very much — Debussy is one of my favorite composers — but all that is irrelevant.

Take Sibelius's 7th. It's probably my favorite piece of music. I could listen to it for the rest of my life and never grow tired of it.

So why, then, if I love it so much, don't I post a million threads about how great I think Sibelius's 7th is? Because I take the old maxim "know thyself" as my guiding light, and I accept the fact that I am neither experienced nor knowledgeable enough to add any real insight on the piece, or say anything that hasn't been said before, and probably much more eloquently.

I can well understand your love for the few Debussy pieces you've lauded here, but what do you have to say about them that hasn't already been said? At the most, you can say "I think it is beautiful/gentle/amazing/etc." These kinds threads lead absolutely nowhere.

P.S. If you have the time to PM everyone that visits your thread, you might need to pick up a hobby. Why not read a book instead of wasting your life on the internet?

[lukeottevanger]

Seriously, I've never understood why there seems to be a lack of enthusiasm for it on these boards.

Why is that ? 

Two reasons

1) it is a wonderful piece, a beautiful piece, a fascinating piece, an important piece.... but so are many other pieces. No lack of enthusiasm, it's just shared around between more than one or two pieces.

2) your obsession with it - witness this thread - puts others off mentioning it except in an ironic way. To that extent you are the reason that there seems to be little enthusiasm for it.

I find it utterly enchanting... Just an astounding masterpiece and with such a rich variety of delicate sounds... It just never ends for me. 

Evidently. 

[david johnson]

i enjoy it when i hear it, but i don't pursue it much.  i gave it an 8.

dj

[sound67]

Great work. One of the "most perfectly" realized examples of Debussy's art.

[BachQ]

I wanted to get an idea on what all of you think about Debussy's  Prelude to The Afternoon of A Faun, his early seminal masterpiece which is sometimes refererred to as  'a quiet and gentle revolution in music'. 
If you would like to briefly share why you either adore it or dislike it that would be nice to...

In reading this opening post, I experienced a déjà vu moment .........

[DavidRoss]

I'm not sure how feelings can be numbered, but this is one of the most beautiful pieces I know and I loved it on first hearing.  I give it 10.  Like Luke, I suspect many of the 1s are responses to the poster, not the piece.

[greg]

8

[MN Dave]

I understand why people like him, but I'm still not a big fan of Debussy's orchestral music.

And I gave it a 1 because the post-er won't shut up about this piece.  I mean, c'mon, I don't go on and on about LvB's 9th, now do I?

[Operahaven]

So why, then, if I love it so much, don't I post a million threads about how great I think Sibelius's 7th is?

Corey,

I have not posted a 'million threads' on Debussy's Faun...  But I confess that I never tire of reading the subjective responses of others on the  Faun  which is the 'ne plus ultra' of enchantment in music in my opinion. 

Several years ago I ordered about 30 books and monographs from various authors dating from 1901 to 1975 on the  Faun  and  Pelleas et Melisande  from 7 Parisian bookshops... Of course I had them translated into English... One of my great hobbies is reading commentaries on these while sipping freshly pressed apple juice...       

Because I take the old maxim "know thyself" as my guiding light, and I accept the fact that I am neither experienced nor knowledgeable enough to add any real insight on the piece, or say anything that hasn't been said before, and probably much more eloquently

O.k... But I still don't see any harm in starting this thread.

I can well understand your love for the few Debussy pieces you've lauded here, but what do you have to say about them that hasn't already been said? At the most, you can say "I think it is beautiful/gentle/amazing/etc." These kinds threads lead absolutely nowhere.

I apologize.

P.S. If you have the time to PM everyone that visits your thread, you might need to pick up a hobby. Why not read a book instead of wasting your life on the internet?

I have sent a PM to only two people, you and Gurn. I wanted to get his perspective also because he is an ardent Beethovenian. That's all.

Again, I apologize.

Why not read a book instead of wasting your life on the internet?

Wasting my life on the Internet ?.. I have practically no time for the Internet since I work 12-15 hour days, 6 days a week.

I posted this last night after returning from work. I am only able to check the Internet briefly a couple times a day. 

[ChamberNut]

I understand why people like him, but I'm still not a big fan of Debussy's orchestral music.

I like some of Debussy's orchestral music, but I much rather hear his piano and chamber works.

[MN Dave]

I like some of Debussy's orchestral music, but I much rather hear his piano and chamber works.

Yeppers.