Syrinx (Debussy)

Syrinx is a composition for flute solo by the French composer Claude Debussy (1862-1918).

Formation and Title

Debussy wrote Syrinx for solo flute in 1913, was originally the -. Meanwhile became independent long - piece under the title " La Flûte de Pan" as incidental music to " Psyché ," a dramatic poem in three acts by Gabriel Mourey provided. The premiere of the play took place on 1 December 1913 in the Parisian theater Mors Louis instead ( according to other sources on December 13, 1913). The soloist was the flutist and music journalist Louis Fleury (1878-1926), who is also on later occasions - played according to the stage directions invisible behind a screen - Fleury had exclusive right of performance.

The title of the piece refers to the traditional in Ovid's Metamorphoses transformation ancient myth of the nymph Syrinx. On the run from the shepherd god Pan, she was transformed into reeds. It then continued along a siebentönige Pan flute, on which he implored his longing for Syrinx.

Characterization

The factory covers 35 bars and has a duration of generally less than 3 minutes. The range extends from the ' fes up ''', thus saving the high altitudes of the flute. The key of the piece oscillates between B-flat minor and D flat major, however, by the lack of cadences only indicated perceptible. Instead of a harmonious whole circuit, the piece ends in a " perdendosi " ( " losing itself " ) descending whole-tone scale.

Structurally, Syrinx as ternary form ABA ' Coda be considered (bars 1-8: Exposure, clock 9-25: Execution, clock 26 to 30: Reprise, clock circuit 31 to Coda ).

Syrinx has developed solo to one of the central standard repertoire pieces for flute and is accordingly in numerous recordings.

Source situation

The autograph is lost. Until 1927 appeared the work of the Parisian publisher Jobert with a dedication to Louis Fleury posthumously in pressure. The publisher had the title arbitrarily changed to " Syrinx ", perhaps to avoid confusion with the equally displaced from Jobert song " La Flûte de Pan" to avoid ( from Debussy's Chansons de Bilitis ). On this edition also later editions are based until 1991. This year, an early manuscript was in the collection of Mme Paul Hollanders de Ouderaen ( Brussels) found, dating from the Debussy -Fleury environment may itself by Louis Fleury The local lecture values ​​differ from several places from those of the first edition.