Nocturnes
2 recordings · 13 min
In the Hall
- I. Nuages — ModéréOrchestre de la Suisse Romande; Ernest Ansermet, conductor · October 1951, Victoria Hall, Geneva7:11
In Nuages (Modéré), the first of Debussy’s three Nocturnes, clarinets and bassoons play a slow rocking figure beneath a recurring cor anglais phrase. A flute and harp briefly play a contrasting passage.
Listening notes · joins
- Opening, clarinets and bassoons
Clarinets and bassoons begin alone, moving slowly back and forth between chords. The strings rest. An oboe adds a held note and then a short falling phrase while the chords continue underneath.
- Cor anglais phrase
The cor anglais plays a phrase that returns several times in nearly the same shape. Its dry, slightly nasal tone stands apart from the soft chords around it. The phrase recurs each time without being extended into a longer melody.
- Whistler and the title Nocturnes
Whistler called his paintings of night and water Nocturnes, a title borrowed from music. Debussy used the word for his orchestral work. His programme for it describes clouds fading through shades of grey and white.
- First performances, Paris, 1900–1901
Camille Chevillard conducted Nuages and Fêtes in Paris on 9 December 1900. The complete triptych, with the third movement, Sirènes, was first performed on 27 October 1901.
- Middle section in F♯ major
The middle passage moves to F♯ major. Flute and harp double a pentatonic melody above sustained divided strings, held softly. The marking is Un peu animé, a little more animated.
- Return of the cor anglais phrase
The cor anglais plays its opening phrase again. Debussy restores the first tempo, and the flute-and-harp tune stops. The lower strings play near the fingerboard on their held notes.
Joins
- Flute and harp at Un peu animé
At Un peu animé, the key signature changes to six sharps. Flute and harp share the five-note melody in F♯ major, and the divided strings hold a chord underneath. The bass sustains while the melody moves freely above it. This passage replaces the rocking wind chords of the opening.
- The cor anglais returns
The flute’s tune descends and grows softer. At 1er tempo, the cor anglais plays its earlier phrase again over held notes in the clarinet and bassoon. The key signature returns to two sharps. Violas, cellos and basses enter, marked sur la touche, so they bow near the fingerboard.
- Two slower markings and closing fragments
The cor anglais phrase shortens, and bassoons take up the rocking chords. The score slows twice, through Plus lent and Encore plus lent. Timpani hold the low B while the bowed strings stop, and the final wind fragments sound above pizzicato notes.
- II. Fêtes — Animé et très rythméOrchestre de la Suisse Romande; Ernest Ansermet, conductor · October 1951, Victoria Hall, Geneva6:16
Fêtes, marked Animé et très rythmé, is the second of the Nocturnes. Muted trumpets play a procession that approaches over quick violin figures, and for a few bars the two sound together across the orchestra; at the end only a distant drum and the low strings continue.
Listening notes · joins
- Opening violin triplets
The violins begin with quick repeated triplets, sharply accented. High flutes hold above them. Cor anglais and clarinets then enter with a rising phrase over the string rhythm.
- Debussy’s programme: the procession
Debussy’s programme placed a fantastic procession within the festivities. It approaches, passes through the crowd and merges with the dance. The orchestra keeps the marching band and the dancers going at the same time.
- Procession, muted trumpets
A♭ and E♭ repeat in the bass, with very soft timpani and harp. The metre changes to 2/4. Over this accompaniment, muted trumpets play the broad tune of the procession.
- Procession theme with full orchestra
The trumpet tune is now played with trombones beneath it. Around this march the violins play fast figures and the woodwind short bursts, and snare drum and cymbals join in. Debussy marks the brass to play with a full, ringing tone without harshness.
- Return of the first tempo
The first tempo returns in 6/8. Flutes run above short reed phrases and repeated cello notes. The heavy brass rests.
- First performance, Paris, 1900
At the first performance in Paris on 9 December 1900, Camille Chevillard conducted only Nuages and Fêtes. Sirènes, with its wordless women’s chorus, was added at the complete première the following October.
- Closing bars, snare drum and low strings
The wind players finish their last fragments. A snare drum continues ppp, with cellos and basses playing at the tip of the bow. Debussy marks the low strings pp et toujours en s’éloignant davantage.
Joins
- A♭ and E♭ begin the march
The tempo changes to Modéré mais toujours très rythmé (moderate, still strongly rhythmic). The dance texture thins to harp, timpani and pizzicato basses, playing softly and repeating A♭ and E♭ in 2/4. The cellos join this ostinato, and then muted trumpets play the procession’s tune above it.
- Dance figures return over the march
The marching bass continues as trumpets and trombones broaden the tune. Above them, quick violin figures and woodwind triplets bring back the dance. Snare drum and cymbals join the crescendo. The brass are marked to play with a full, ringing tone without harshness.
- The flutes take over
At rehearsal 14, marked 1er tempo, the metre changes from the procession’s 2/4 to 6/8. The brass and percussion stop after the first chord. The flutes play a running line above short reed figures, and the cellos play repeated notes in the bass.
- The procession moves away
The late dance breaks up into short wind phrases, each followed by a quieter brass phrase. Low-string figures continue as the other players stop. In the final bars the snare drum returns at ppp, with cellos and basses playing lightly at the tip of the bow.