Клод Дебюсси: Фавнның орташа күніне прелюдия

Symphonic poem by Claude Debussy
the musical composition by Claude Debussy

Prélude à l'après midi d'un faune (L. 86), known in English as Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, is a symphonic poem for orchestra by Claude Debussy, approximately 10 minutes in duration. It was composed in 1894 and first performed in Paris on 22 December 1894, conducted by Gustave Doret. The flute solo was played by Georges Barrère. The composition was inspired by the poem L'après midi d'un faune by Stéphane Mallarmé. It is one of Debussy's most famous works and is considered a turning point in the history of Western art music, as well as a masterpiece of Impressionist composition. Pierre Boulez considered the score to be the beginning of modern music, observing that "the flute of the faun brought new breath to the art of music." Debussy's work later provided the basis for the ballet Afternoon of a Faun choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky and a later version by Jerome Robbins.

In 1912, the piece was made into a short ballet, with costumes and sets by painter Léon Bakst, which was choreographed and performed by the renowned dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. It proved to be highly controversial because of the dancers' non traditional movements and because of a moment in which the faun appears to masturbate. In 1958, another ballet by Jerome Robbins was made, which has been frequently performed by many companies.

Claude Debussy himself transcribed the piece for performance on two pianos in 1895. Other transcriptions include: the arrangement of Maurice Ravel for piano four hands, the flute and piano version of Gustave Samazeuilh, the arrangement for Pierrot ensemble (flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano) by Tim Mulleman, a transcription for flute, clarinet and piano by Michael Webster, and an arrangement for the instruments of Ravel's Introduction and Allegro (flute, clarinet, harp and string quartet) with an additional double bass, by Graeme Steele Johnson. The Russian pianist Vyacheslav Gryaznov also transcribed it for solo piano. Linos Piano Trio arranged the piece for piano trio and included it on their 2021 album "Stolen Music". Benno Sachs, a pupil of Arnold Schoenberg, reorchestrated the work for a chamber ensemble which included a piano and a harmonium, for Schoenberg's Society for Private Musical Performances, which took place on 27 October 1920.

The theme features prominently in the film Portrait of Jennie (1949) and is used as a musical motif for the ethereal heroine played by Jennifer Jones. Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun is the first animated segment in Italian director and animator Bruno Bozzetto's film Allegro Non Troppo (1977). While retaining Debussy's music, the on screen story instead depicts an aging faun's vain attempts to recapture his youth. A climactic scene from the film Passion (2013) finds the main character attending the ballet version, with a memorable, several minute long split screen, with the ballet on one side and the movie action on the other side. In the found footage horror film “Leaving DC” (2012), the song was featured on a digital recorder the main character listened to after he placed it on his windowsill to document strange sounds he was hearing in the forest outside his isolated home. The song appeared to play at 3:11am every night for a few seconds, but different parts of the flute solo were heard every time.

The work is analyzed at the end of the 4th segment of Leonard Bernstein's Norton lecture The Unanswered Question (1973). Bernstein corroborates the earlier statement that the piece, with its extensive use of the tri tone interval and whole tone scale, stretches the limits of tonality, thus setting up the atonal works of the 20th century to come.

It was rearranged and recorded by jazz musician Eumir Deodato for his album Prelude (1973). A synthesiser arrangement was performed by Isao Tomita on his album Firebird (1975). Electronic jazz group Koop features the Overture in its piece 'Glömd' (1997) on its album Sons of Koop.

A production music version (arranged by Charlotte Georg) was featured in The Ren & Stimpy Show episode, "Powdered Toast Man".