Review
It is difficult to establish an appropriate chronological place for
Claude Debussy 's Suite bergamasque within his output. He originally composed the piece in 1890, but it was not published until 1905, and the extent to which he revised it during the interval is unclear. Certainly the published work is a great stylistic advance over the few short piano works which preceded it during the late 1880s and early 1890s, but whether that advance is due to an early maturity or to much later alteration will perhaps always elude historians.
The Suite, Debussy's tribute to the French Baroque
clavecinistes (harpsichordists), comprises four individual movements: Prélude, Menuet,
Clair de lune , and Passepied. It is interesting to note that Debussy originally titled the third and fourth pieces "Promenade sentimentale" and "Pavane," respectively, and changed their titles only shortly before publishing the Suite in 1905. This has caused many to question the purported connection between the much-celebrated
Clair de lune and
Paul Verlaine 's poem of the same name. However, Debussy's connection with Verlaine's poetry is far reaching enough for the association to be meaningful. He had already set the poem
"Clair de lune," as well as several others, for voice and piano on two separate occasions by 1891, and the word bergamasque is itself contained within that particular text.
The Prelude, an F major piece cast in ternary (ABA) form, unfolds in an aristocratic, unhurried way. The opening declamation, spanning some four octaves, is nobleness itself, while the B section, in A minor, is devoted to more thoughtful ideas. Perhaps the best music in the Prelude is contained within the lengthy passage that connects the middle section to the reprise of the opening. The Menuet presents the best glimpse of Debussy's emerging compositional voice. Save for its 3/4 meter there is little trace of the traditional minuet form to be found. Especially notable is the absence of a trio section.
Clair de lune is perhaps the most famous work Debussy ever penned. Although Debussy's reliance on left-hand arpeggios throughout the piece can lead to a somewhat mechanical effect in the hands of less skilled performers,
Clair de lune has a way of drawing the listener into its magical atmosphere. Particularly striking are the opening gestures, still and quiet, and a passage in parallel octaves that connects the opening to the more active middle-section. The Passepied that ends the Suite is cast in 4/4 time, betraying its origins as a pavane, since the traditional Passepied is invariably found in 3/4 time. As is the case with the Menuet, Debussy is making reference to an antiquated dance form without actually making use of it. ~ Blair Johnston, All Music Guide
Albums with Complete Performances of the Work
300 Years of Classical 1995
40 Famous Composers [Box Set] 2006
Alpin Hong plays Brahms, Debussy, Scarlatti, Stravinsky 2004
Amsterdam Guitar Trio Plays Music by Debussy, Fauré & Chopin 1988
Baby's First Songs 2005
Caio Pagano: French Piano Music 2000
Claude Debussy: Complete Piano Music, Volume 5 1990
Claude Debussy: Famous Works
Claude Debussy: Préludes 1 & 2; Children's Corner; Suite Bergamasque; Le petit mègre 1997
Claude Debussy: The Complete Piano Music, Vol. 2 2006
Claude Debussy: Works for Piano 1996
Claude Debussy: Works for Piano 1997
Complete Works For Piano 1970
Debbusy, Ravel: String Quartets
Debussy 2003
Debussy for Children 2001
Debussy, Ravel: Piano Works [Box Set] 2004
Debussy: Children's Corner
Debussy: Children's Corner; Estampes; Suite Bergamasque 2007
Debussy: Children's Corner; Suite Bergamasque; Images
Debussy: Clair de Lune
Debussy: Complete Piano Music [Box Set] 1996
Debussy: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 2 1993
Debussy: Complete Piano Works [Box Set] 2005
Debussy: Complete Piano Works, Vol.1 1989
Debussy: Complete Works for Piano, Vol. 3 2008
Debussy: Complete Works for Solo Piano, Vol. 4 1994
Debussy: Favorite Piano Works 2003
Debussy: Images, Études, Complete Works for Piano, Vol. 2 2000
Debussy: Piano Music
Debussy: Piano Music 1998
Debussy: Piano Music 1989
Debussy: Piano Music Vol. 4: The Youthful Debussy 2003
Debussy: Piano Works
Debussy: Piano Works 1994
Debussy: Piano Works 1999
Debussy: Piano Works, Vol. 1 1995
Debussy: Piano Works, Vol. 3 2003
Debussy: Préludes; Suite bergamasque; Pour le piano
Debussy: Rediscoveres 2000
Debussy: Six épigraphes antiques; Suite Bergamasque; Trois Préludes 2002
Debussy: Solo Piano Music, Vol. 1 1992
Debussy: Solo Piano Music; Fantaisie; Ravel: Piano Concertos 2006
Debussy: Suite Bergamasque
Debussy: Suite Bergamasque; Children's Corner; Estampes; etc. 2004
Debussy: Suite bergamasque for piano No1-4; Children's Corner L. 113
Debussy: Suite bergamasque for piano No1-4; Children's Corner L. 113
Debussy: Suite bergamasque for piano No1-4; Estampes, L. 100
Debussy: Suite bergamasque for piano No1-4; Mer No1-3 1995
Debussy: Suite bergamasque for piano No1-4; Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Debussy: Suite bergamasque for piano No1-4; Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune 1993
Debussy: Suite bergamasque for piano No1-4; Préludes L117
Debussy: Suite bergamasque; Pagodes; La Soirée dans Grenade; Reflets dans l'eau; L'Isle joyeuse; Ravel: Sonatine; etc 2000
Debussy: The Complete Piano Music 1997
Debussy: The Complete Piano Music 2004
Debussy: The Complete Solo Piano Music 2003
Debussy: The Complete Works For Piano 1995
Debussy: Études; Suite bergamasque 1989
Die schönsten Klavier-Suiten: J.S. Bach, Claude Debussy, George Enescu 1992
Edition Klavier-Festival Ruhr: Portraits III 2008
Famous Composers [Box Set] 2006
For Your Baby 2004
Fountains: Piano Impressions by Debussy & Ravel 2008
Friedrich Gulda 1999
Friedrich Gulda, Piano 2005
From Beethoven to Ravel 2001
Gabriel Faure: Dolly Suite; Claude Debussy: Petite Suite; Marche ecossaise; Trois chansons de Charles d'Orleans; etc. 1995
Gieseking en la Alhambra
Great Pianists of the 20th Century: The Complete Edition (Box 1) (Box Set) 1999
Great Pianists of the 20th Century: The Complete Edition (Box 2) (Box Set) 1999
György Sebök
Icon: Walter Gieseking, Poet of the Keyboard [Box Set] 2009
Intégrale de l'Oeuvre pour Piano, Vol.3
Kapell Rediscovered 2008
Kathryn Stott Plays Debussy & Ravel 1991
Live at the Vienna Konzerthaus (Box Set) 2001
Masqueraden 2004
Monique Haas Plays Debussy & Ravel [Box Set]
Mozart & Debussy: Piano Works
Nancy Allen Plays Ravel & Debussy 2005
Oleg Maisenberg Live, Vol. 4 2001
Paul Dukas: Sonate; Claude Debussy: Suite bergamasque
Piano Dreams [Box Set] 1995
Piano Dreams [Box Set] 2008
Piano Music by Claude Debussy 1995
Piano Nocturnes 2001
Piano Recital 2005
Piano Works, Vol.3
Pièces Pittoresques: Piano Works by Chabrier & Debussy 2001
Recital Gems from Chautauqua 2002
Simply Debussy 2007
Sviatoslav Richter 1977 Salzburg Recital
Sviatoslav Richter Archives, Vol. 10 2006
Sviatoslav Richter Conducts Chopin, Debussy, Beethoven 1998
The 20th-Century Piano
The Best of Ravel & His Time 1992
The Final Sessions [Box Set] 2006
The Number One Debussy Album 1999
The Private Recordings, 1957-63
Walter Gieseking Performs Debussy 2004
Walter Gieseking plays Debussy 1995
Works for Piano [Box Set] 2005
Zoltan Kocsis 1998
Albums with Excerpt Performances of the Work
100 Best Adagios 2008
100 Best Piano Classics 2006
100 Piano Classics 2005
20 Great Pianists 2006
50 Classical Music Favorites 2009
50 Greatest Classics 1995
A Bouquet of Familiar Classics 1990
A Debussy Weekend
A Piano Weekend
A Romantic Evening 2005
Abendstille: Musik zur Guten Nacht 1990
Adagio: Music for Relaxation 2001
An Invitation fo the Classics
Baby Concerts: El Estuche de Regalo de Lujo [4 CD] 2005
Baby Concerts: Prenatal y Recién Nacidos 2005
Be Mine: The Ultimate Romance Album 2005
Bradley Welch plays at Broadway Baptist 2006
Browns in Blue 2007
Browns in Blue [B&N Exclusive] 2007
Browns in Blue [Borders Exclusive] 2007
Chill with Debussy 2004
Classic Dining Collection 2006
Classic Movie Themes [DualDisc] 2006
Classical Ambience 2: Another Fine Collection of Calming Classics 2003
Classical Baby 2005
Classical Music for an Intimate Mood 2001
Classical Romance 2006
Classicool: La musique qui rafraichit [Box Set] 1997
Classicool: La musique qui rafraichit, Vol. 3 1997
Classics 2: The Greatest Melodies 2006
Classics By the Sea
Classics of Cinema 2006
Classics: Greatest Melodies 2006
Claude Debussy: Complete Solo Piano Music
Complete Classical Music Library: The Piano, Vol. 1 [Box Set] 2006
Concerts pour bébés [Box Set] 2005
Concerts pour bébés: De la gestation à la naissance 2005
David Oistrakh Edition, Vol. 3 2004
Debussy Greatest Hits 2006
Debussy at Dawn 1997
Debussy's Greatest Hits 1994
Debussy, Faure and Chopin
Debussy: Clair De Lune 2009
Debussy: Clair de Lune and other Piano Favourites 1994
Debussy: Dreams 1998
Debussy: Greatest Hits 1984
Debussy: L'Oeuvre Pour Piano, Volume V 1992
Debussy: Suite bergamasque for piano No1-4; Estampes, L. 100
Debussy:L'Oeuvre Pour Piano
Discover Classical Music 1993
Dreaming Adagios 2008
Dvorák, Saint - Saëns: Cello Concertos 1997
Famous Piano Music (Box Set) 1996
Favourite Debussy 1984
For the Hopeless Romantic 2005
George Copeland: The Victor Solo Recordings
Global Classical Relaxation Experience 2007
Golden Piano [Collector's Edition] [Box Set] 2008
Golden Piano, Vol. 1 2008
Golden Piano, Vol. 2 2008
Grand Piano: Debussy 1996
Great Classical Highlights 2006
Harmony: Le Chant des Rêves 1999
Harp Adagios 2005
Highlights der Film Musik 2009
Jörg Demus Plays Debussy, Chopin, Schubert
Klassik for Lovers 2006
La Bonne Chanson: Fauré, Berlioz, Debussy 2008
Lotos Lounge 2007
Magic Moments 2007
Midnight Classics 2006
Most Beloved Encores 2002
Music by Bach, Mendelssohn, Liszt & Debussy 1996
Music for Oboe and Harp
Natural Reflections 2007
Nelson Freire Plays Debussy 2009
Nocturne
Nocturne: Music for Dreaming 2004
Nocturnes & Preludes for Flute 2008
Peaceful Adagios 2006
Piano By Candlelight [Madacy] 1994
Piano Collection [Capitol] 1992
Piano Music for Babies
Piano Piece Selection
Pianorama: A Collection of Film Music for the Piano 2006
Ravel & Debussy: Harp Arrangements 1983
Recital Favorites by Nissman, Vol. 2 2008
Remasterpiece 2005
Romantic Dinner for Two 1996
Rostropovich In Memoriam 2007
Saxophone Serenade 1994
Snowflakes Are Dancing 1991
Snowflakes Are Dancing [1982] 1974
Soliloquy 1994
Steps in Silence 2007
Stokowski Transcriptions: Bach, Beethoven, Boccherini, etc. 2003
Stokowski: The Maverick Conductor 2009
The Best of 25 Piano Favorites 2001
The Best of Debussy 1999
The Debussy Collection 2006
The Essential James Galway 2006
The Essential Van Cliburn
The Great Female Pianists, Vol. 6: Olga Samarov & other rare recordings 1992
The Harrods Selection, Vol. 1 1992
The Kiss 2001
The Only Piano Album You'll Ever Need 2000
The Premium Collection: 75 Classical Masterworks [Box Set]
The Record of Calm & Tranquility: Classical Music for Relaxation 2001
The Romantic Hours 1998
The Romantic Piano 1995
The Ultimate Wedding Album [Delta] 2005
The Very Best of Classical Music 2000
The Very Best of Debussy 2006
The Well-Tempered Grandma, Disk 2 of 2: The Flat Keys
These You Have Loved, Vol. 4
Ultimate Classics [Box Set] 2006
