23 - Orchestral Images and Piano Préludes: 1910

Summary

Premieres of “Ibéria” and “Rondes de printemps”

The important events in 1910 were the premieres (about ten days apart) of the second and third movements of the Images for orchestra, which had remained on Debussy's worktable for such a long time. “Ibéria” was the first to be performed, at the Concerts Colonne on 20 February under the direction of Gabriel Pierné, triggering a few demonstrations “from the far left and the far right,” and it was repeated the following Sunday. “Rondes de printemps” was conducted by the composer in the Salle Gaveau, at the Concerts Durand, on 2 March.

Pierné had found “Ibéria” difficult to conduct at first, but Debussy felt, on 5 February, that he “already seemed to be getting a feel for its color.” However, at the performance, the composer deemed only the third part satisfactory: “the otherwise ‘overtly Spanish’ rhythm of the first part became ‘rive gauche’ under the intelligent leadership of our young ‘Kapellmeister,’ and ‘Les parfums de la nuit’ came out tentatively, as if from under a cushion, no doubt so as not to upset anyone.” As the work was to be heard again on the following Sunday, Debussy requested another rehearsal, about which he would report to Caplet with atypical enthusiasm:

Things are going better! The aforementioned young Kapellmeister and his orchestra have agreed to shed their feet for wings. .!

You cannot imagine how naturally the “Parfums de la nuit” transitions to the “Matin d'un jour de fête.” It feels like it's been improvised… And the entire buildup, the awakening of people and things… I see very clearly a watermelon merchant and some whistling kids… And yet, look at how people can be mistaken, since some have viewed this as a “serenade.”

Upon hearing these two Images, the critics renewed their objections with, as was often the case, an absurd touch. Adolphe Jullien, the critic for Les débats, had misread the epigraph, drawn from Angelo Poliziano's Canzoni a ballo, at the head of “Rondes de printemps”; instead of “Vive le mai,” he had read “Vive le mal,” and in his article, he understandably questioned the work's joyful character.