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Claude Debussy

Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudelaire

The Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudelaire (L 64) constitute a song cycle for voice and piano by Claude Debussy, on poems taken from Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire. Composed from December 1887 to

Songs#

“Le Balcon” # “Harmonie du soir” # “Le jet d’eau” # “Recueillement” # “La mort des amants”#

Composition#

The composition of the Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudelaire extended over more than a year: “La mort des amants” was completed in December 1887, “Le balcon” in January 1888, “Harmonie du soir” in January 1889, and “Le jet d’eau” in March of the same year. “Recueillement” is an undated melody. Debussy transcribed “Le jet d’eau” for voice and orchestra in 1907.

Publication#

The work was ill received by Parisian musical circles. After the success of Ariettes oubliées, nobody wanted to edit or perform the Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudelaire, according to Jean Barraqué. Debussy was reduced to publishing an edition of his melodies by subscription, with only 150 copies.

  • Cinq poèmes de Charles Baudeaire, Bibliothèque nationale de France
  • , Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto), Catherine Collard (piano)
Composer
Claude Debussy