Danses (Danse sacrée et danse profane), L. 103
by Claude Debussy
Commissioned in 1904 by the Pleyel company to demonstrate the capabilities of their newly developed chromatic harp — an instrument with a separate string for each semitone — the two Danses were premiered in Brussels that year. Though the chromatic harp fell from favour, the work became a cornerstone of the standard pedal harp repertoire. The Danse sacrée unfolds with grave, archaic solemnity derived from a theme by the Belgian composer Francisco de Lacerda; the Danse profane follows with light, arabesque figuration of quintessential Impressionist delicacy. The string orchestra provides an atmospheric halo while the harp part displays the full range of the instrument's idiomatic techniques.
Editions
Durand
Claude Debussy, 1904
Original Durand edition, supervised by the composer; remains the standard performing text and is widely reprinted.
C. F. Peters
Vera Badings, 1978
Peters edition with revised harp part and new editorial annotations; useful for its alternative fingerings and extended performance notes.