Debussy: Nocturnes (original version,1899)

[MusikFind1]

DEBUSSY, Claude (1862-1918) –
Nocturnes (Nuages, Fetes, Sirenes) (original version,1899)
(edited Nieweg 2005).
Pub: EDWIN F. KALMUS
For sale: https://www.emsmusic.com/product_p/emsg20167.htm

EMS11040 large score – A3070 $70.00
EMS11041 set of parts A3070 $350.00
EMS284366 extra harp 1 – A3070 $9.00
EMS284367 extra harp 2 – A3070 $9.00
EMSG20167 (Nieweg – Jones).- vocal score/ women voices with piano.
[FIRST PUBLICATION] $4.95

Differences between the 1899/1900 publication Score and Parts

Harp I Mvt.1 Reh.7 Meas.1 Score: no 8va bassa indicated. Part: The 8va bassa is notated to Reh. 8 meas. 3. This passage is traditionally played in flats, an octave lower than the Flute.
The 2005 edition has the music printed as an “ossia” in flats at the correct pitch.

Harp I Mvt.1 Reh. 8 Score and Part: The Harp harmonics throughout the Nocturnes are written where played and sound an octave higher.

Harp I Mvt.3 Reh.4 Meas.1 Score: accrochez (set) for descending gliss. en remontant (re-ascending) for ascending gliss. Part: en descendant and en mountant [sic].

Harp I Mvt.3 Reh.4 Meas.7 Beat 1 Score: no dynamics. Part has the unusual dynamic mfp.

Harp I Mvt.3 Reh.4 Meas.8 Beat 4 Score: no gliss on beat 4. Part: written as a repeat sign which would indicate that an ascending gliss line continues on beat 4 exactly like measure 3.

Harp I Mvt.3 Reh.10 Meas. 1 to 10 beat 1 Score: mf. Part: has f for the entire passage.

Other editions: Nieweg/Grossman Now POP. Replaced by the Nieweg 2005 edition.

Debussy revised edition of the score Durand Series V, Volume 3. This is a critical edition by Denis Herlin of the revised published 1930 edition not the 1989/1900 original edition. On RENTAL only from Boosey & Hawkes. This edition was re-orchestrated by Debussy and does not match the original edition.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

It seemed clear to me that the passage where the harp and flute have the same theme should all be played in harmonics, doubling the flute, as in the Ormandy recording. In the sloppy part, it seemed clearly to be a copyist’s error to make the harmonic circles so small that they looked like dots, or that the original manuscript was misinterpreted. Why? Because it sounds lousy any other way. The harmonics blend perfectly with the flute and produce that Debussy magic, and he does indicate it later, as I recall, so it makes sense to be consistent.

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