Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande (excerpts)

Trio Parnassus specialise in presenting little-known works and this CD is a compendium of the French repertoire at the turn of the century. Trios by Chausson and Fauré are complimented by an arrangement by Mouton of music from Debussy’s opera Peléas et Mélisande. Debussy himself was very enthusiastic about Mouton’s arrangements.

The 'Debussy, Music and the Arts' exhibition, organised by Paris's Musée d’Orsay, proposes to evoke the musician's major encounters with contemporary artists and poets. Paintings, drawings and pastels, along with first editions of Mallarmé, Gide, and Louÿs will recall the musician's admirations and friendships. His music will be present in major autograph scores, rare editions, and projects of sets and costumes for Pelléas, the ballets on the Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and Jeux, and The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. This choice of historic recordings proposed by Jean-Michel Nectoux, curator of this exhibition, will allow for listening to the conductors, pianists – including Debussy himself – and singers who were his first interpreters, such as Ninon Vallin, Jane Bathori, Claire Croiza, Mary Garden and Hector Dufranne, the latter two the Mélisande and Golaud in the Pelléas of 1902, Ricardo Viñes, Camille Chevillard or Toscanini…

This exceptional document allows us to enter the composer's musical intimacy. A real treasure trove!