Thursday 7 October 2010
Tune of the Day: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
by Claude Debussy
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun”) is a symphonic poem for orchestra by Claude Debussy, first performed in Paris in 1894. The composition was inspired by the poem “L'Après-midi d'un faune” by Stéphane Mallarmé, and later formed the basis for a ballet choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky. It is one of Debussy's most famous works and is considered a turning point in the history of music; composer and conductor Pierre Boulez even dates the awakening of modern music from this score, observing that “the flute of the faun brought new breath to the art of music.”
Pop star Michael Jackson named this piece his "favorite song", along with Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite.