La plus que lente

La plus que lente (French pronunciation: [laplyskəˈlɑ̃t],[1] The more than slow),[2] L. 121, is a waltz for solo piano written by Claude Debussy in 1910,[3] shortly after his publication of the Préludes, Book I.[4] The piece debuted at the New Carlton Hotel in Paris, where it was transcribed for strings and performed by a popular Romany band.[4]

The title may be translated as "The even slower waltz"[4][5] or, word-for-word, "The more than slow".[2] Despite its translation, La plus que lente was not meant to be played slowly; "lente," in this context, refers to the valse lente genre that Debussy attempted to emulate.[6] Typical of Debussy's caustic[4][5] approach to naming his compositions, it represented his reaction to the vast influence of the slow waltz in France's social atmospheres.[4][5] However, as Frank Howes noted, "La plus que lente is, in Debussy's wryly humorous way, the valse lente [slow waltz] to outdo all others."[4]

Contents

Composition history

Debussy was supposedly inspired for La plus que lente by a small sculpture, "La Valse", that he kept on his mantelpiece.[4] However, others point to various sources of inspiration, some citing the resemblance between this waltz and Debussy's earlier work, Ballade.[7]

During the same year of its composition, an orchestration of the work was conceived, but Debussy opposed the score's heavy use of percussion and proposed a new one, writing to his publisher:

Examining the brassy score of La plus que lente, it appears to me to be uselessly ornamented with trombones, kettle drums, triangles, etc., and thus it addresses itself to a sort of de luxe saloon that I am accustomed to ignore!—there are certain clumsinesses that one can easily avoid! So I permitted myself to try another kind of arrangement which seems more practical. And it is impossible to begin the same way in a saloon as in a salon. There absolutely must be a few preparatory measures. But let's not limit ourselves to beer parlors. Let's think of the numberless five-o'-clock teas where assemble the beautiful audiences I've dreamed of.
—Claude Debussy, 25 August 1910[8]

More recently, La plus que lente has been re-arranged and performed by notable jazz musicians such as Gil Evans.[9]

Structure

La plus que lente is marked "Molto rubato con morbidezza," indicating Debussy's encouragement of a flexible tempo.[10] Known for its compositional eccentricities[11] (e.g., its numerous overlapping ties and unusual rhythms), it can sometimes pose a difficulty for beginning musicians.[12]

Notable performances

All performances used the original, solo piano version, unless otherwise noted.

See also

References

  1. ^ The title of this work is often mispronounced as French pronunciation: [laplykəˈlɑ̃t]. The "s" should, indeed, be pronounced.
  2. ^ a b Hartmann, Arthur; Hsu, Samuel; Grolnic, Sidney; Peters, Mark A. (2003). "Claude Debussy as I Knew Him" and Other Writings of Arthur Hartmann. Boydell & Brewer. p. 80. ISBN 1580461042. http://books.google.com/books?id=fp5pM0oiUucC. 
  3. ^ Randel, Don Michael (1996). The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music. Harvard University Press. p. 204. ISBN 0674372999. http://books.google.com/books?id=IA4dOwAACAAJ. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Woodstra, Chris; Brennan, Gerald; Schrott, Allen (2005). All Music Guide to Classical Music. CMP Media. pp. 353,354. ISBN 0879308656. http://books.google.com/books?id=n29DHVKhZggC. 
  5. ^ a b c Lederer, Victor (2006). Debussy: The Quiet Revolutionary. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 75. ISBN 1574671537. http://books.google.com/books?id=cEiIqjdy6YMC. 
  6. ^ Smith, Richard Langham (1997). Debussy Studies. Cambridge University Press. p. 88. ISBN 0521460905. http://books.google.com/books?id=nuweNo_98hIC. 
  7. ^ Schmitz, E. Robert; Thomson, V. (1966). The Piano Works of Claude Debussy. Courier Dover Publications. p. 63. ISBN 0486215679. http://books.google.com/books?id=pkRd22YAyrUC. 
  8. ^ Arvey, Verna; Hsu, Samuel; Grolnic, Sidney; Peters, Mark A. (2007). Choreographic Music for the Dance. Read Books. p. 235. ISBN 1406758477. http://books.google.com/books?id=GOwFSQkpfNsC. 
  9. ^ Crow, Bill (1992). From Birdland to Broadway: Scenes from a Jazz Life. Oxford University Press US. p. 140. ISBN 0195085507. http://books.google.com/books?id=0YPjq2EoBREC. 
  10. ^ Matthay, Tobias (1918). Musical Interpretation, Its Laws and Principles, and Their Application in Teaching and Performing. The Boston Music Co. (G. Schirmer, Inc.). p. 102. http://books.google.com/books?id=yM0TAAAAYAAJ. 
  11. ^ Schick, Robert D. (1996). Classical Music Criticism: With a Chapter on Reviewing Ethnic Music. Routledge. p. 85. http://books.google.com/books?id=txflqfxzOKQC. 
  12. ^ Wilkinson, Charles W.; Hipsher, Edward Ellsworth (1915). Well-Known Piano Solos, How to Play Them. Best Books. p. 117. http://books.google.com/books?id=hQk6AAAAIAAJ. 
  13. ^ Salgado, Susana (2003). The Teatro Solís: 150 Years of Opera, Concert, and Ballet in Montevideo. Wesleyan University Press. p. 376. ISBN 0819565946. http://books.google.com/books?id=lXag39roRosC. 
  14. ^ Mitchell, Mark Lindsey (2000). Virtuosi: A Defense and a (sometimes Erotic) Celebration of Great Pianists. Indiana University Press. p. 55. ISBN 0253337577. http://books.google.com/books?id=K2lA-nUvmNIC. 
  15. ^ Trezise, Simon (2003). The Cambridge Companion to Debussy. Cambridge University Press. p. 261. ISBN 0521654785. http://books.google.com/books?id=dxfALsh5wgUC. 
  16. ^ Laird, Ross (2001). Brunswick Records: A Discography of Recordings. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 449. ISBN 0313318670. http://books.google.com/books?id=oipO25gvaKIC. 
  17. ^ Page, Tim (2002). Tim Page on Music: Views and Reviews. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 81. ISBN 157467076X. http://books.google.com/books?id=c9rK8hKqO7YC. 
  18. ^ Smith, Steven C. (2002). A Heart at Fire's Center: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann. University of California Press. p. 300. ISBN 0520229398. http://books.google.com/books?id=-1mUcGRpt0EC. 
  19. ^ Timbrell, Charles (1999). French Pianism: A Historical Perspective. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 303. ISBN 157467045X. http://books.google.com/books?id=taB23mJdp_0C. 
  20. ^ Riley, John (2005). Dmitri Shostakovich: A Life in Film. I.B.Tauris. p. 49. ISBN 1850434840. http://books.google.com/books?id=4r8I9NUzKm8C. 
  21. ^ Feinstein, Anthony (2005). Michael Rabin: America's Virtuoso Violinist. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 149. ISBN 157467109X. http://books.google.com/books?id=gj-yqydOHhAC. 
  22. ^ Sachs, Harvey; Manildi, Donald (1995). Rubinstein: A Life. Grove Press. p. 459. ISBN 0802115799. http://books.google.com/books?id=44Sl_52ePdYC. 
  23. ^ Miolin, Anders (2000). Debussy Arranged for Ten-Stringed Guitar. BIS-CD-986. 

External links