An interesting autograph letter from the important composer, thanking a friend for his positive review of "L'après-midi d'un Faune" and remarking on the rarity of friendly relations between musicians. 1 p. on Debussy's Parisian letterhead, dated "Thursday" in Debussy's hand; another hand has dated at the foot: December 22, 1894. Translated from the French, in part: "Many thanks for the nice article dedicated to the prelude to 'L'après-midi d'un Faune,' and also for the artistic collegiality with which you approach it! This is something so rare among musicians, especially among those who have already "arrived"; they immediately become like dogs defending a bone they have laboriously acquired! One must praise those who, like you, recognizing another art from their own, are incidentally not the loudest voices." 14 x 9.5 cm. Fine.
The symphonic poem by Claude Debussy Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) was inspired by the poem L'après-midi d'un faune by Stéphane Mallarmé and is likewise considered a turning point in the history of music; Pierre Boulez considered the score to be the beginning of modern music, observing that "the flute of the faun brought new breath to the art of music." About his composition Debussy wrote: "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."
An interesting autograph letter from the important composer, thanking a friend for his positive review of "L'après-midi d'un Faune" and remarking on the rarity of friendly relations between musicians. 1 p. on Debussy's Parisian letterhead, dated "Thursday" in Debussy's hand; another hand has dated at the foot: December 22, 1894. Translated from the French, in part: "Many thanks for the nice article dedicated to the prelude to 'L'après-midi d'un Faune,' and also for the artistic collegiality with which you approach it! This is something so rare among musicians, especially among those who have already "arrived"; they immediately become like dogs defending a bone they have laboriously acquired! One must praise those who, like you, recognizing another art from their own, are incidentally not the loudest voices." 14 x 9.5 cm. Fine.
The symphonic poem by Claude Debussy Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) was inspired by the poem L'après-midi d'un faune by Stéphane Mallarmé and is likewise considered a turning point in the history of music; Pierre Boulez considered the score to be the beginning of modern music, observing that "the flute of the faun brought new breath to the art of music." About his composition Debussy wrote: "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."