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Debussy, Archille-Claude (b. St Germain-en-Laye, 1862; d. Paris, 1918).
French composer and critic. As a child he had little formal education but
his musical tendencies were channeled into piano forte lessons, those with
Verlaine's mother in-law, Madame Maut de Fleurville, leading to his entry
into the Paris Conservatory in 1872. His reputation there was that of an
erratic pianist and a recalcitrant in matters of harmony and theory. In
1880 and 1881 he went for summer employment to Russia as pianist to Tchaikovsky's
patron, Mme von Meck. Failing to win the Pris de Rome in 1883, he
succeeded in 1884 with the cantata L'Enfant prodigue. He spent 2
years at the Villa Midici, Rome, where he met Liszt, Verdi, and Boito,
and heard Lohengrin. He went to the Bayreuth festivals 1888 and
1889, but an even greater musical influence was that of hearing the Javanese
gamelan at the 1889 Paris Exposition. In 1893 Debussy began work on an
opera based on Maeterlinck's play Pallas et Mlisandre, a task
that was to occupy him for nearly 10 years. In 1893 his string quartet
was performed, and in 1894 his orchestration for Prlude l'Aprs-midi
d'un Faune upset certain critics with its alleged "formlessness."
He followed this with his 3 Nocturnes. They are dedicated to Rosalie
(Lily) Texier, whom he married in 1899 but deserted 5 years later for Mme
Emma Bardac, a singer and wife of a banker, whom he married in 1908. Debussy's
orchestral works were the set of 3 Images composed between 1905
and 1912, and the ballet Jeux for Diaghilev (1913). In 1910 he developed
cancer. He wrote musical criticism under the pseudonym of M. Croche. He
is famous for his operas, orchestral works, chamber music, piano pieces,
piano duets, songs, chorales and arrangements.
Desormiere,
Roger (b. Vichy, 1898; d. Paris, 1963). French conductor and composer.
Studied Paris Conservatory and with Koechlin. Played flute in Paris orchestras.
Conductor dbut Concerts Pleyel 1921. Conducted Diaghilev Ballet 1925-30.
Opra Comique 1937, becoming musical director 1944-46. Conducted Pallas
at Covent Garden 1949. Conducted early performances of works by Messiaen
and Boulez. Retired 1950.
Dukelsky, Vladimir (b. Parfianovka, 1903; d.
Santa Monica, California, 1969). Russian-born composer (American citizen
1936). Studied composition with Glire at Kiev Conservatory 1916-19, then
left Russia, settling in New York 1922. Ballet Zephir et Flore produced
for Diaghilev, 1925. Wrote several other ballets; operas; 4 symphonies;
oratorios; piano forte; violin concerts and many other works. Changed name
(at Gershwin's suggestion), and as Vernon Duke wrote music for musical
comedies (notably Cabin in the Sky, 1940), films, etc. Best-known
song is April in Paris.
