CLAUDE DEBUSSY
la musique à moi
A CD/Book about the first modern composer
who paved the way for a transition to the 20th century in music
The 150 years anniversary after Debussy’s birth (1862-1918), was the occasion to turn a long-lasting confrontation with his music into a musical-theatrical performance. Debussy’s music which, upon listening, would colour my childhood imagination, remained the most familiar and loved, however many new musical experiences were added to it.
The excitement of the performance bore the wish to record it. And so we ended up with this album, adding to Debussy’s fellowship Tassos Apostolou as Golaud (opera Pelléas & Mélisande).
Another opportunity, that of the customary Christmas Concert at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation in Athens, gave the images, the emotions and several years of study the chance to be expressed on stage. Not, however, with yet another Debussy concert, but with a dramatized musical story, which tried to recount the composer’s diversity, his music’s sensitivities, his relationship with impressionist painters and symbolic poets, his tempestuous friendships and affairs, the love for his young daughter.
What makes Debussy special? He searched for inspiration outside music itself, in dreams and impressions.“It would be good to see music…” he used to say characteristically, revealing his passion for colour and his visual approach to a form of art based mainly on sounds. He used innovative rhythm, harmony and orchestration, making him the first “modern” composer. He never compromised in order to secure a position in Parisian musical life, but put all his energy trying to find his own, authentic voice, his own Μusique à moi
Recorded works
La fille aux cheveux de lin
Nuit d’étoiles
La flute de Pan (Syrinx)
Pour invoquer Pan dieu du vent d’été
Prélude à l’après-midi d’un Faune
Pelléas & Mélisande
Reflets dans l’eau
Clair de Lune (Suite Bergamasque)
Clair de Lune (Fetes galantes I)
Golliwogg’s cake-walk
Noël des enfants qui n’ont plus de maison
Beau Soir
Interpreters
Dionyssis Mallouhos • piano
Natalia Gerakis • flute
Myrsini Margariti • soprano
Tassos Apostolou • bass
Mania Papadimitriou • recitation
Released by: Utopia music
Recording: Spectrum Studio Athens September 2013
Recording producer: Vangelis Katsoulis
CD reviews
FLUIT magazine, Mia Dreese, Holland | download
FALAUT magazine, Filippo Staiano, Italy | download
Tonkünstlerforum magazine, Ulrike Albrecht, Germany | download
Αthinorama magazine, Eftyhios Horiatakis, Greece | download | on line
Ichos & Ikona magazine, Nikos Dontas, Greece | download
Kathimerini newspaper, Nikos Dontas, Greece | download | on line
Efimerida Syntakton newspaper, Giannis Svolos, Greece | download
Eleutherotypia newspaper, Christos Sfiakos, Greece | download
Available at
IANOS eShop
Politeia.net
iTunes
Spotify
Amazon