Debussy - Printemps, avec le choeur initialement prévu (1887)

En n'envoyant à l'Académie des Beaux-Arts, en 1887, qu'une partition pour piano à quatre mains et choeur de Printemps (suite symphonique en deux mouvements), son deuxième "envoi de Rome", Debussy prétendit que la partition d'orchestre avait été détruite dans un incendie. Il semble plutôt qu'elle n'ait jamais existé. Et ce n'est qu'en 1912 que l'oeuvre fut orchestrée, mais par Henri Busser, qui fit abstraction du choeur. Ce qui incita beaucoup plus tard le chef d'orchestre américain Emil de Cou à réorchestrer Printemps en réintroduisant le choeur (sans paroles) prévu à l'origine. C'est cette version qu'on peut entendre ici, les interprètes étant The San Francisco Ballet Orchestra et The San Francisco Ballet Chorus, sous la direction d'Emil de Cou.
I. (00:00) Très modéré;
II. (11:58) Modéré.

[@remixuereb]

C'est peut être le plus bel exemple de musique " modern'style" ou belle époque , avec ses lignes allongées qui se fustigent d'un coup , puis un reflux motif mélodique tendre et intime qui apparait , tel une victoire du sculpteur Carpeaux , une "contamination " sur tout l'espace . Nous sommes comme enchantés dans un pays de merveilles et de pureté et c'est comme une chaste extase mystique , légèrement gothique mais en couleurs très claires , légèrement symboliste à la Puvis de Chavannes , Odilon Rodon ou Gustave Moreau en lignes libres , libérées de l'académisme , car ce beau là est parvenu jusqu'à nous pour toucher autant notre coeur que notre intelligence : voilà le vrai changement que fut durant cette fin du XIX °s. l'art français : une véritable révolution tranquille.... Au juste , en parlant de Debussy , on pourrait parfois écarter à son art la sempiternelle étiquette impressionniste et plutôt parler d'influence japonisante , orientaliste faite d'arabesques , de l'univers de la musique pour enfants ou populaire, transcendés par un sens poétique exceptionnel, qui reflète et prolonge cette ambiance très particulière de l'art symboliste depuis l'architecture , la céramique , les affiches , la gravure , et surtout la peinture et la littérature d'un style nouveau , ancré dans le passé et demeurant absolument libre , novateur qui a préparé à la grande mutation de l'art du XX°.siècle. Debussy , c'est l'avènement de la couleur , de la fraîcheur dans la musique , ainsi que de l'ambiance poétique .

[@Choristenimes]

Superbe découverte. Merci. On reconnait bien le compositeur de "La mer"...

[@Twentythousandlps]

As the notes above tell us, Debussy wrote this in 1887 for piano four-hands and chorus. He apparently dropped the piece and then authorized Henri Busser to create an orchestra-only version 25 years later. Many years later Emil de Cou fashioned a version using the original choral parts and revising the orchestration. It is a beautiful addition to the canon, which will inevitably remind many of the Sirenes Nocturne and also La Damoiselle Elue.

[@Steve-il9pb]

I heard this piece played by an orchestra in Rome. The day before, I saw Botticelli's painting "Spring" in Florence, which was the motif for this piece. The performance on that day was very wonderful. I was able to hear Debussy compose this piece in Rome. To see the real painting of "Spring." It was an unforgettable artistic experience.

[@shin-i-chikozima]

Debussy's aesthetic and spirit are unfathomable, immeasurable and beyond description This familiar masterpiece is comfortable to the ear and the mind . It's the melody like the heart beat of a nostalgic mother with a heartfelt philosophical depth

[@spliff22]

The choir makes this so much more beautiful!

[@doltifantara]

I love Debussy, impressionism and the whole tone scale

[@StripeRich]

Debussy disavowed the label of impressionist, but a rose by any other name...right? His influence will be everlasting.

[@rotebick]

Words to live by

[@kazuwazerin8120]

I've listened to this almost every day while I work since I found this a few months ago! It's so good!

[@rkentburke]

I've known and loved this work without chorus for most of my life. Ernest Ansermet's Decca recording got played a lot. Now I hear this version. I am shedding ample tears of joy. This is beyond magnificent!

[@MrRezillo]

First time I've heard this piece and frist time I've heard OF this piece. Beautiful - like all his other works. Thanks for posting this.

[@sonicsnap1173]

I never heard this version before. The choir sounds great! Bravo and thank you Mr Emil De Cou!

I've listened to this version on so many occasions that I've completely lost count... Such an awesome piece! :D Debussy is indeed one of the greatest masters in music ^^

[@stravinskyfan]

The greatest

[@jamesharasch9425]

Absolutely heavenly

[@retrosophistico6096]

I must say this recording is different than others-a more excited version.Debussy has been with me my whole life-alluring as Heck!

[@chiefslief1886]

Yes! I could not say it better in words..Beautiful 💓🎶🎶thank you

[@pelegrino791]

Pourquoi cette pièce n'est pas plus souvent jouée ? C'est un chef-d'oeuvre de jeunesse de Debussy !

[@arlesfranciscocordero391]

Min 4:59 au 5:25 les plus belles mésures que j'ai écouté dans l'histoire de la musique occidental. Merci beaucoup Debussy pour telle beauté!

[@erlandschneck-holze4476]

Eine wunderbare Entdeckung!

[@iblskeith]

Just beautiful....Spring!

[@chouchoumuse2729]

Je ne connaissais pas cette version, elle est superbe avec le choeur. Merci pour la découverte !

[@martinstotzer3466]

Geheimnisvoll, darin wunderschön.

[@1blairt]

C'est magnifique. Merci inf. de MI/USA

[@cerrane184800]

REAL MASTERPIECE !!! My Congratulations !!! Cerrane...

[@factsandfancies65]

I've always enjoyed this piece. Very melodic. I've never heard it with a chorus until now, though! Our host is most kind to share this! Cheers!

[@n64wilbert]

Beau morceau de musique!

[@jimstokes6742]

Never heard this with a choir till now. Spiffy!

[@JohnnyTremblay]

Oui...Tres beau!!!!

[@polhas]

Thank you for posting this beautiful music. Until this I had only heard the orchestral version - such a contrast! I immediately ordered this recording from Amazon. Best wishes, David

[@lucie5280]

the whispering voices... goosebumps

[@rosemiller2075]

Angelic voices sound like snowfall..... it's snowing so I played this outside so the snow can enjoy it

[@GoldandAppel]

Cool.

[@mikeli117]

De la pureté...

[@kurtkaufman]

Thank you, newhope123, for posting this fascinating version. I wonder who removed the 25 or so measures (often repetitions) in the later arrangements (Debussy? Büsser?). To me the Büsser-revised editions seem tighter compositionally, but it might just be what I'm used to. Incidentally, the orchestrated versions of Pagodes and La Puerta del Vino on the same CD are beautiful, and emphasize aspects of the compositions that are typically not brought out in most piano performances I've heard.

[@SW-wf3gy]

Thank you for this amazing piece !

[@ArjanBeudeker]

Wonderful, great!!

[@MarkAhrens-HeritageFilms]

It’s amazing to hear this alternate version. Slower and less intense to my ear but amazing. Like many different PearlJam performances. 🧐

[@mohamedhamza456]

After hearing this for the first time I wonder why some critiques say that _Le prélude d'après midi d'un faune_ is the beginning of modern music.

[@lordspongebobofhousesquare1616]

this still has a lot of romantic harmony in it. The french, Faure kind of romanticism but still romanticism. There's a whole tone scale here but it's only used once. In the faune, there's a whole whole tone scale section, plus strange harmonies that's centered from the tritone scale. Even the main theme is tonally ambiguous and spans a tritone. In the beautiful middle section of the faune, debussy used the whole tone scale as harmony. This piece is good but the faune is clearly the first truly modern one

[@c-pas-vrai]

Mais je me demande pourquoi on voudrait que telle ou telle oeuvre soit le début de la musique "moderne". La musique n'est pas à mon sens un processus linéaire, mais plutôt un processus "foisonnant", alors déterminer une limite, c'est un peu artificiel...enfin pourquoi pas, rien n'est interdit en la matière...mais à quoi bon ?

[@veroniquejeannedemarbre5630]

Fantastique! Bravo!

[@MegaCirse]

Spiritual, sensory and rebellious, music of this composer reveals secret impostures, explores serene pleasures, a world of resurfacing dreams !

[@chiefslief1886]

Beautiful ⚘💓⚘💗⚘💗⚘💗⚘💓

[@BernardoAroztegui]

Merci!!

[@shin-i-chikozima]

This great orchestra perfectly understand Debussy's aesthetic, intent and spirit, so this performance is stellar and flawless I feel cozy listening to this specutacular performance

[@ragingharlot13]

It has a disneys bambi feel too it. I can imagine woods in the early spring.

[@faktablad]

gypsyrose90 Bambi soundtrack is lit

[@debjahdo1889]

I think you mean this work has been an Inspiration to the Dis imagineers. Debussy far excedes independent & in originality. Predates, as well !

[@mariettechabaud1242]

Je vous souhaite l éclat de cette musique . Bon mercredi ! Que du bonheur !

[@Irinoux]

Mariette, que cet éclat de bonheur en Musique vous revienne décuplé! Merci

[@2superlinkbros]

Lol. “Bonheur”

[@shin-i-chikozima]

This familiar masterpiece is comfortable to the ears and the mind . Just by listening I am filled with the effulgent diversity of Debussy's aesthetics. From Tokyo of the Land of the Rising Sun 🇯🇵 🌊⛩️㊗️🎍🎋🎏🎎👺🏯🗾🎴🗻💮🐈🥋🀄👘🍥🍙🥟🍱🍲🍜🍘🍣🍢🍡🗼🌸🎌

[@stravinskyfan]

Beautiful words. I agree with you, Debussy just didn't want to stick in one rigid and monotonous style. His endless creativity and masterful craftsmanship combined with his endeavor to make an impeccable output always amazes me evey time I'm coming back listening to his many masterworks, including this piece "Printemps" (On which we shall credit Cou for this brilliant arrangement). And I'm just glad there are still many that are great admirers of Debussy. I assume you are one of them as almost in every overlooked Debussy piece on KZbin you are always there in the comment section! Thanks for your beautiful reply Mr. Kozima, blessings.

[@shin-i-chikozima]

@@stravinskyfan Thank-you so much to your wonderful and impressive comments I am just intoxicated with Debussy's aesthetics . Which is your country ？ In Japan the cherry blossoms are in full bloom Everywhere in Japan is covered with the faint scent and the color of the light pink of the cherry blossoms in full bloom Someday please visit Japan Japanese delicious foods and heartfelt hospitality wait for you Good luck ！ Be on the alert for Covid - １９ Thank-you

[@shin-i-chikozima]

@@stravinskyfan Thank-you so much to your wonderful comments Take care of yourself Good luck ！ Cheer up ！ We are both the proud Asians

[@billystewart4]

Glorious!

[@chiefslief1886]

It sure is🌺🌺🌺👍

[@GoldandAppel]

My NEW favorite!

[@alfredoechevarrieta7512]

Muchas gracias.

[@jksteven1]

Is this available on a commercial recording, and if so, where can one find it?

[@newhope1233]

+Jk Stevenson This is available on an 'Arabesque Recordings' CD called 'Debussy rediscovered' (The San Francisco Ballet Orchestra - Emil de Cou, conductor), which can be found, notably, on Amazon.com. To locate this CD on their website (department CDs & Vinyl), you only have to type the words 'Debussy rediscovered', apparently.

[@jksteven1]

Thank you. I tried the title of the work with no luck. I will take your advice. Jk

[@newhope1233]

Hello, David. I am glad you liked this version, which I think is the only one recorded, so far, with the choir planned by Debussy. Best wishes, newhope123

[@jimstokes6742]

First time I heard it with a choir. I like the very last part the best.

[@rosemiller2075]

Omg ... amazing

[@GerrlichStudios]

merveillieux

[@ЗаурБорлаков-щ5г]

Beautifully

[@TheSukkki]

super!!:)

[@GoldandAppel]

5:26. Evocative.

[@GoldandAppel]

WOW!

[@diogosantos6284]

[@ulrikegilcher4033]

Entzueckend die instrumentation kannte ich gar nicht als werkstueck

[@川口健太郎-m5e]

東京の３月に聴きたくなる フィレンツェなら５月の気温 パリなら７月の気温

[@Christian-tw7me]

Sirenes

[@fcarcena01]

Remarquable ...

[@dancegod1691]

6:06 weird sample

[@川口健太郎-m5e]

イタリア・ルネサンス期の画家ボッティチェリの代表作品「春」プリマヴェーラに触発されて作曲した ドビュッシー25歳の作品 フランス印象主義絵画と無関係な絵画様式 フランスの若手作曲家は登竜門「ローマ大賞」で優勝しないといけない ローマ大賞の課題ジャンルはカンタータ

[@MrAquilina420]

Sounds orchestral for the sake of being orchestral. It lead to nowhere. It’s ok incidental music I guess.

[@solracohcnap]

I really didn't like Debussy's symphonic work. I really like his solo piano works , they are clearly of an impressionist style and I want something minimalist. The symphonic work seems to be composed by another person with another style.

[@GoldandAppel]

This is VERY impressionistic.

[@MarkAhrens-HeritageFilms]

Please revisit with fresh ears. Don’t miss out. His symphonic pieces are heartfelt and amazing

[@stravinskyfan]

Not surprising. An ordinary person with an ordinary taste. I bet you don't even know what "impressionist" means in music. And who the fuck in the right mind "want something minimalist" from Debussy. "I really like his solo piano pieces". Don't you say it's Clair de lune and Arabesque 1.