Danses sacrée et profane, L. 103
by Claude Debussy
Composed in 1904 on a commission from the Pleyel harp company to demonstrate the chromatic harp, these two linked dances have become the cornerstone of the orchestral harp repertoire. The solemn 'Danse sacrée' unfolds over a modal melody of archaic gravity; the 'Danse profane' responds with sensuous, winding lines and a shimmering close. Ironically, the work found its permanent home on the standard concert harp rather than the chromatic instrument for which it was written.
Editions
Durand
André Caplet, 1910
Original French edition, the primary source text, long standard for professional performance.
Alphonse Leduc
Lily Laskine, 1972
Performance edition by the legendary French harpist Lily Laskine, with detailed fingering and pedalling.
Henle Verlag
Douglas Woodfull-Harris, 2014
Critical Urtext edition collating manuscript and early print sources with extensive editorial notes.