Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, L. 86
by Claude Debussy
Composed between 1891 and 1894, the Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune is widely regarded as the first genuinely Impressionist orchestral work and one of the pivotal landmarks of musical modernism. Inspired by Stéphane Mallarmé's symbolist poem, Debussy dissolves the rigidity of classical form in favour of a shimmering, sensuous wash of colour and texture. The opening unaccompanied flute melody, sinuous and chromatic, defines the work's dreamlike eroticism, answered by waves of muted strings, harp glissandi, and antique cymbals. Pierre Boulez famously argued that the flute's first phrase marked the awakening of modern music. The piece remains the definitive showcase for the orchestral flute and a touchstone for any study of late nineteenth-century harmonic language.
Editions
Jobert
François Lesure, 1977
Critical edition prepared for the Oeuvres complètes de Claude Debussy; the scholarly standard with detailed source notes.
Eulenburg
Roger Nichols, 1982
Pocket score with authoritative introduction covering the Mallarmé connection and orchestration; ideal for study and analysis.
Durand
Editorial staff, 1895
First published edition, issued by Debussy's primary publisher; the historical source text from which all subsequent editions derive.