Born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France in 1862, Claude Debussy was the creator and leading exponent of French musical impressionism. At age ten, he entered the Paris Conservatory, where he studied piano with Antoine Francois Marmontel and composition with Ernest Guiraod. Over the next ten years, he continued his studies at the Conservatory and became acquainted with a wide range of music as he traveled to Italy, Austria, and Russia.
In 1894, his cantata, The Prodigal Son, won the coveted Grand Prix de Rome. From 1887 on, Debussy confined his activity to composition, rarely appearing in public as a performer. He enjoyed the company of the leading impressionist poets and painters who gathered at the home of the poet Stephane Mallarme. Their influence is felt in Debussy’s first important orchestral work, Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (1894). This work established the style of impressionist music and initiated Debussy’s most productive period, which lasted nearly 20 years.
During that time, he composed his one completed opera, Pelleas and Melisande (1892-1902); the orchestral suites Nocturnes (1893-99), The Sea (1903), and Images (1906-09); most of his piano music, including the books of Preludes (1910-13); the ballet, Games (1912); and one of his best known piano compositions, Claire de Lune, from Suite Bergamasque (1890-1905).
Around 1910, Debussy developed cancer, which sapped his strength during his last years. Many projects were started, such as an opera based on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, but few were completed. He died in Paris in 1918.
Première Clarinet Rhapsody
The Première rhapsodie (First Rhapsody) by Claude Debussy is a piece for accompanied clarinet.
Composed between December 1909 and January 1910, it was dedicated to the French clarinet professor Prosper Mimart.
In 1909, Gabriel Fauré, Director of the Conservatoire de Paris, named Debussy to its board of directors (le Conseil Supérieur). One of Debussy’s first duties was to supply two works for the next year’s clarinet examinations. The Rhapsodie was first performed as part of the examinations on July 14, 1910. The original composition was for clarinet and piano; Debussy published his own orchestration of the accompaniment in 1911, after the official premiere with Mimart.
Saxophone Rhapsody
In 1901, Debussy had been commissioned to write a work for alto saxophone and orchestra by Elise Hall, but never finished the 1903 draft during his lifetime. This “Second Rhapsody” was later completed by Jean Roger-Ducasse as Rapsodie pour orchestre et saxophone.
PERTH
YOUTH AND MUSIC
Issued by the A.B.C. Youth Concerts’ Committee
A well-attended committee meeting, at which further details of recorded programmes for youth Clubs were arranged, was held on July 12. The A.B.C. agreed to make studio space available at Broadcast House, for Youth Concerts’ Committee members to present programmes of recorded music (and supper) to other members and friends. The first gathering of this kind was on July 23. It was extremely successful and the Committee is keen to make these a regular feature of Youth concerts activity.
The third Youth Subscription concert on August 9 1956 will be conducted by John Farnsworth Hall with Jack Harrison, soloist, playing a Rhapsody for Clarinet and Orchestra by in the first half of the concert, and a Rhapsody for Saxophone and orchestra by the same composer in the second half. [1]
MUSIC AND THEATRE BY “FIDELIO”
DEBUSSY RHAPSODIES
For the A.B.C.’s next Youth Concert on Thursday August 9, Mr John Farnsworth Hall will be in charge, and Jack Harrison will set up what is maybe a record for these concerts (or indeed any in the annals of the W.A. Symphony Orchestra) by appearing as soloist not merely on two occasions in the programme but playing each time a different instrument. With the clarinet he will be heard in a Rhapsody by Debussy, and with the saxophone in – again – a Rhapsody by Debussy. There is no “funny business” about this: Debussy really did write a rhapsody for the clarinet and also a rhapsody for the saxophone. The latter was commissioned by an American lady, left unfinished by Debussy and completed by Roger-Ducasse.
WN is broadcasting the ABC Youth Concert from the Capitol Theatre on Thursday and Friday evenings. Jack Harrison, a brilliant young Perth musician in both classical and modern spheres, will be the soloist with the W.A. Symphony Orchestra. J. Farnsworth Hall is the conductor. The opening half of the concert is broadcast on Thursday starting at 8pm. Jack Harrison joins the orchestra in Debussy’s Rhapsody for Clarinet and Orchestra. On Friday at 9.15pm, when the second half of the concert is broadcast, Harrison is featured on saxophone.
THE WEST AUSTRALIAN (newspaper) August 1956
SAXOPHONE SHINES IN A HOTCH-POTCH
By “Fidelio”
“The saxophone is classified as a woodwind instrument” the Professor of Music at Harvard University tells us in a treatise published this year “despite the fact that it is entire made of brass.” There, of course, is one proof more that musicians are an irrational folk. (For an alternative explanation read the next few sentences of Professor Piston’s book.). Professor Piston also tells us that while in serious music the saxophone gives voice with “a pure, steady tone,” in popular dance music nowadays it is “Tremulous, oversweet, sentimental and it is almost invariably played out of tune.”
We are certain that Mr Jack Harrison did not play it “almost invariably played out of tune” last night; but then, Mr Harrison was not in a dance hall but at the Capitol and devoting his skill not to jive but to Debussy’s Rhapsody for Saxophone and Orchestra. He also played for us, and very effectively, another Debussy “Rhapsody” for clarinet, which gave him greater opportunities than the saxophone piece. Neither is particularly good Debussy.
For this A.B.C. Youth Concert Mr Farnsworth Hall compiled a programme which achieved great variety at the cost of being rather a hotch-potch. Among the purely orchestral works three commanded special attention – “An Outback Overture” by the Australian composer John Anthill; the wonderful pages from Berlioz’s “The Trojans” unusually labelled “Royal Hunt and Storm”; and Schumann’s rarely heard overture to “Manfred”, a welcome tribute in this centenary year, for all its sombreness. We had some beautiful playing in the Berlioz, though the horns were not quite up to the mark. [2]
| 1956 | Debussy Premiere Clarinet Rhapsody Debussy Saxophone Rhapsody AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE being performed in same programme (maybe even in the world?) | Jack Harrison (clarinet) Jack Harrison (saxophone) John Farnsworth Hall (conductor) West Australian Symphony Orchestra | Capitol Theatre Perth, Western Australia |
| 16.2.1971 | Debussy Rhapsodie No. 1 | Jack Harrison (clarinet) Arthur Fiedler (conductor) | Festival of Perth Winthrop Hall University of Western Australia |
[1] Youth and Music issued by the A.B.C. Concerts’ Committee No. 3 August 1956
[2] The West Australian August 1956