Debussy/Escher: Six épigraphes antiques

Andris Nelsons conducts the Concertgebouworkest in Six épigraphes antiques by Claude Debussy. Rudolf Escher knew how to capture the exoticism of Debussy’s music in a colourful orchestration.

Debussy’s Six épigraphes antiques

Claude Debussy’s Six épigraphes antiques initially were a part of the incidental music for the stage work Les Chansons de Bilitis. Debussy later took six movements from his incidental music and created little masterpieces from them, transcribing them for piano four and two hands. Rudolf Escher was able to portray the exoticism of Six épigraphes antiques in terms of orchestral timbre. His orchestration, with an important role for woodwinds, percussion, two harps and celesta, gives the Épigraphes antiques the carefully dosed spiciness of an Eastern meal.

Andris Nelsons, conductor

Andris Nelsons made his debut with the Concertgebouworkest in 2008 and now conducts the orchestra regularly. Nelsons studied with Alexander Titov in St. Petersburg and took private lessons with Mariss Jansons. Having conducted the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, the Latvian National Opera and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons currently is music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig.

Debussy’s Six épigraphes antiques

Claude Debussy’s Six épigraphes antiques initially were a part of the incidental music for the stage work Les Chansons de Bilitis. Debussy later took six movements from his incidental music and created little masterpieces from them, transcribing them for piano four and two hands. Rudolf Escher was able to portray the exoticism of Six épigraphes antiques in terms of orchestral timbre. His orchestration, with an important role for woodwinds, percussion, two harps and celesta, gives the Épigraphes antiques the carefully dosed spiciness of an Eastern meal.

Andris Nelsons, conductor

Andris Nelsons made his debut with the Concertgebouworkest in 2008 and now conducts the orchestra regularly. Nelsons studied with Alexander Titov in St. Petersburg and took private lessons with Mariss Jansons. Having conducted the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, the Latvian National Opera and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons currently is music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig.

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