Dukas, Paul

[Sydney Grew]

Paul Dukas was born in Paris in 1865.

He did not leave a great quantity of compositions but many of those he did were written with care and are interesting.

Let us list some of them:

Symphony, C, 1896

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3osY987i7fA

L'apprenti sorcier, symphonic scherzo after Goethe, 1897

Sonata, e, pianoforte, 1900

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqHn1IVmvU4

Ariane et Barbe-bleue (lyrical drama, 3 acts, M. Maeterlinck), 1907

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryPSX1gedLc

La Péri (poème dansé, 1 tableau) (1911)

La plainte, au loin, du faune …, piano, 1920

[grewtw]

L'ondine et le pêcheur, for soprano and orchestra - 1884

https://youtu.be/bT5idncHUWY

La fête des Myrthes, for chorus, 4 voices and orchestra - 1884

http://youtu.be/xhDdOrl2viY

Hymne au soleil, for chorus and orchestra - 1888

http://youtu.be/IweHGIfNR7A

The first act of Ariane et Barbe-bleue has already been posted above (audio only).

Here are acts 2 (audio only):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD53OdUI3Dc

and act 3 (audio only):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZghzFq1a04

I also have the complete three-act opera in a more recent version as a VIDEO file from Arte (French television - opera national du Rhin, the Mulhouse Symphony orchestra conducted by Daniele Callegari), but it is an mp4 file of 990 megabytes. Very worthwhile, and I don't know how or where to post it. Any suggestions?

[Serial_Apologist]

I am very fond of the Variations, Interval and Finale for piano. composed contemporaneously with the (to me) Franckish, rather heavy-handed Sonata, which Debussy preferred, surprisingly. It has both charm and one of the most ingenious fugal finale's I know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH4jNaPU-Ts

[Barbirollians]

L'apprenti sorcier- Bournemouth SO/Silvestri absolutely sensational .

[Edgy 2]

I am very fond of the Variations, Interval and Finale for piano. composed contemporaneously with the (to me) Franckish, rather heavy-handed Sonata, which Debussy preferred, surprisingly. It has both charm and one of the most ingenious fugal finale's I know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH4jNaPU-Ts

I love the piano sonata, didn't someone give it the nickname French Hammerklavier ?
There's a marvellous recording by Marc-Andre Hamelin on Hyperion

[Serial_Apologist]

I love the piano sonata, didn't someone give it the nickname French Hammerklavier ?
There's a marvellous recording by Marc-Andre Hamelin on Hyperion

That could well have been Debussy. Does anyone know if there is any literature compiling Debussy's critical writings, by the way? I'd love to get it if there is.

[Joseph K]

That could well have been Debussy. Does anyone know if there is any literature compiling Debussy's critical writings, by the way? I'd love to get it if there is.

A brief search yielded this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Debussy-Mus.../dp/0801494206

[AlanE]

A recording of La Peri by Pierre Boulez and the NYPO made in 1976 has been reissued this year as an SACD by Dutton, utilising the original quadraphonic format, which places the listener in the middle of the action, so to speak, a wonderfully voluptuous experience; over-indulgent, perhaps, but the music does rather ask for it. Best enjoyed with a cognac and, at this time of year, whatever might be the French equivalent of a mince pie.

[Serial_Apologist]

A brief search yielded this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Debussy-Mus.../dp/0801494206

Thanks Joseph K. I'll have to think about it!