Here’s some of what Debussy had to say about his piece:
“There is a succession of scenes through which pass the desires and dreams of the faun in the heat of the afternoon. Then, tired of pursuing the timorous flight of nymphs and naiads, he succumbs to intoxicating sleep, in which he can finally realize his dreams of possession in universal Nature.”
The music is perfectly lazy and indulgent. We often talk about music in terms of colors and other visual elements, but this piece evokes other senses for me -- the feel of humid air and gentle breezes; the perfumed scents of ripe fruits and flowers.
It’s not quite summer proper yet, but June 21st is just around the corner. Do you have any favorite summer music? It could originally be about summer or just something that just evokes the season for you. I'd love to hear your selections and your reasons for associating the music with summer.
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Previously: Wintry Mix and Dark Days, Light Music.