Great and Influential Music
This is the music that inspired today's photo set
I encourage you to listen to this music
As you slowly go through viewing the photos
It is said that this piece is the beginning of modern music
I put a lot of time and energy into this one
I hope you will enjoy it
I spent hours listening and researching to find
The best recording of this piece
I decided on the von Karajan 1965 recording
With the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
It is a classic and got strong reviews
I'm sure there are recordings just as good
Depending upon your taste
I ended up with five recordings I was choosing from
Before selecting this one - I'd like to post all of them
I'm not sure how much better they could get
So I think we at least have an important recording of this work
Claude Debussy's
"L'après-midi d'un faune"
"The music composition was inspired by the poem L'après-midi d'un faune by Stéphane Mallarmé. Debussy's work later provided the basis for the ballet Afternoon of a Faun, choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky." (YouTube)
"L'après-midi d'un faune (or "The Afternoon of a Faun") is a poem by the French author Stéphane Mallarmé. It describes the sensual experiences of a faun who has just woken up from his afternoon sleep and discusses his encounters with several nymphs during the morning in a dreamlike monologue. It is Mallarmé's best-known work and a hallmark in the history of symbolism in French literature. Paul Valéry considered it to be the greatest poem in French literature.
Claude Debussy had this to say about it:
"The music of this prelude is a very free illustration of Mallarmé's beautiful poem. By no means does it claim to be a synthesis of it. Rather there is a succession of scenes through which pass the desires and dreams of the faun in the heat of the afternoon. Then, tired of pursuing the timorous flight of nymphs and naiads, he succumbs to intoxicating sleep, in which he can finally realize his dreams of possession in universal Nature.'' ~Claude Debussy (YouTube)
~*~
FIRST UP!
I invite you to watch this Introduction first and then listen to the Karajan recording: If you don't have time, I'd listen to the music and perhaps tomorrow revisit the introduction.
Debussy's
"Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune":
An Introduction
YouTube Direct Link: https://youtu.be/MDvrQznO-n4
~*~
Claude Debussy
"Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune"
"Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun"
Herbert von Karajan
conducting
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
recorded
1965 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin
YouTube Direct Link: https://youtu.be/lryB8GZcjJQ
***NOTE: There is a 12 second delay before the Music begins***