6/11/2023 0 Comments Debussy compositionsRemarkable foundation established by Lesure. The present revised edition builds on the Organization of exhibitions devoted to Debussy and his launch of the Cahiersĭebussy, a journal devoted to Debussy scholarship. Of letters written by and to the composer his founding and oversight of the Œuvres complètes de Claude Debussy, aĬomplete and critical edition of his works his publications of a catalog ofĭebussy’s compositions and a collection of the composer’s music criticism his His lifelong passion forĭebussy’s music and creative development manifested itself in numerousĪctivities and publications, including his painstaking assemblage of thousands Scholarship is breathtaking in its scope and impact. Out the cultural context in which the composer developed. Lesure’s account, like that of Vallas, documents theĬritical reception of Debussy’s works, and, more than most biographies, fleshes Professional and personal activities in addition to his opinions of otherĬomposers and performers. The more unsavory aspects of Debussy’s life, Lesure objectively chronicles his Unlike previous biographers, who tiptoed over some of Working through Debussy’s life experiences, day by day, following the composer’sĬopious correspondence. The reader can almost imagine the author methodically Well as to his early publisher Georges Hartmann-that were unknown by theseīiographers enabled Lesure to explode a number of long-held beliefs and mythsĪbout the composer. Such as the journals of Madame Hébert and Marguerite de Saint-Marceaux, andĮspecially letters, such as those to and from Debussy’s first wife Lilly as Nonetheless, his access to primary source materials-items ![]() At last, the present English translation makes this seminal work accessible to the wide audience it deserves.Įarlier biographers of Debussy, including Léon Vallas, Marcel Dietschy, andĮdward Lockspeiser. His critical biography of Debussy thus consolidates sources and scholarship that advance our knowledge and understanding of the composer and his works far beyond any other biography to date. Situated at the hub of Debussy research, he fostered and absorbed the pathbreaking work of many other experts in the field. ![]() As director of the département de la Musique at the Bibliothèque nationale de France for nearly twenty years, he was in a unique position to study primary materials that were often unavailable to other scholars. Now music lovers worldwide can profit from new discoveries and insights into the life and work of one of France’s greatest composers-and relish Lesure’s sly wit, and distinctively French perspective, along the way.Ĭlaude Debussy: A Critical Biography is Lesure’s magnum opus. I offer below a few paragraphs (slightly adapted) from my Introduction to the book, giving a sense of its formidable scope and of Lesure’s unique skill set for his chosen task. Immensely gratifying, despite numerous challenges. ![]() Late husband’s book and to revise and update it. Yet it received few reviews outside of the French-speaking world, and so has been familiar mainly to specialist scholars.ĭevriès (herself an important musicologist) gave me permission to translate her Written by François Lesure, Claude Debussy: Biographie critique instantly became the most comprehensive and reliable study of this astounding composer’s life and creative career. ![]() Debussy got his due in 2003, but the English-speaking world hardly knew about it. A great composer deserves a great biography.
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