Search
Sheet Music Review
Claude Debussy – 6 Épigraphiques Antiques for Flute and Harp: Transcription by Mario Ancilloti and Jasna Corrado Merlak
Mario Ancillotti Collection
UT Orpheus HS 224
1. Pour invoquer Pan, dieu du vent d’été (for summoning Pan, god of the summer wind)
2. Pour un tombeau sans nom (for a tomb without a name)
3. Pour que la nuit soit propice (I hope I get lucky tonight)
4. Pour la danseuse aux crotales (for the dancing girl with cymbals)
5. Pour l’Égyptienne (for that Egyptian girl…)
6. Pour remercier la pluie du matin (thankful for the morning rain)
Claude Debussy
The Six Épigraphes Antiques began life as incidental music for a single performance of Debussy’s friend Pierre Louÿs‘ Chansons de Bilitis. The score was unpublished, and rather than lose good material, in 1914 Debussy set about half of it for piano, four hands.
The pieces are well transcribed for flute and harp and this is a good choice as the flute lends itself beautifully to the sonorities of music from the impressionistic era. Many Debussy melodies have been arranged for the flute and work extremely well. This piece is no exception; it is a very welcome and substantial addition to the flute and harp repertoire and definitely a concert piece, lasting around 13 minutes.
While parts of the music are fairly straightforward in terms of rhythm and notes falling under the fingers for the flute, this would take some getting together as an ensemble, to bring out the nuances and many subtle changes of tempo so characteristic of Debussy’s chamber music. The harp part is complicated in places and would require some learning. However, it is definitely worth the effort and I look forward to programming it in a future concert myself.
The edition is very well put together with clear big print and a welcome page of programme notes. This work would suit a professional duo looking to expand their repertoire and include a substantial piece in a classical recital programme.
See: http://www.utorpheus.com/product_info.php?cPath=918&products_id=3171
Review by Dr Rachel Smith
January 2017
Rachel Smith is a London based professional flute player with many years experience as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Performance from Salford University. She is a Pearl Flutes International Artist. See: www.rachelsmithflute.co.uk
Among the performance groups with whom Rachel appears is the Camellia Flute and Harp Duo with Ruby Aspinall. See: www.camelliafluteandharpduo.co.uk
Comments are closed.
PETER WESTBROOK