story behind Debussy's Little Sheperd (Children's Corner)

[ronel]

Hi guys!

I'd really like to know if you know anything of a story behind  Debussy composing Little Sheperd. I know he based some of his work on Impressionistic paintings of that time...
If anybody knows of a web site of Debussy - that would also help...

Thanx in advance!

[bernhard]

The story behind Children’s Corner is pretty straightforward. Debussy composed the set in 1908 for his daughter Chouchou, who was then 5 years old. Debussy was very much the Anglophile, and Chouchou had an English nanny, so all the titles are in English in the original manuscripts.

The pieces are inspired by the several toys Debussy gave to Chouchou during childhood. According to E. Robert Schmitz (a pianist who knew Debussy well),

”[…]it was not merely toys he wanted to give Chouchou, but an incentive to Joy! And so he conceived that she could really derive joy from the toys when induced to make the little elephant walk and go to sleep, when she would have a serenade to play to her doll, when she would hear the little shepherd play some tunes on his reed and dance, and when she would make the Golliwog, the Little Negro puppet doll dance a cake-walk, during which he would take those sublime and grotesque postures that only the greatest dancers, or the articulated toys can perform. So came the inspiration to write the finest music to complete the lake-believe universe of his beloved Chouchou; a music that would inspire her to play, to imbue her playthings with joy and life; it was a real labour of love, binding his consummate skill, his orchestral wizardry, to the miniature music for his adored child… a gift of love and humility. “To my beloved Chouchou, with the tender excuses of her father for what follows,” reads the Dedication to “Children’s Corner”. Little did Debussy dream then that ten years from this date he would be separated form his daughter, to be reunited only a year after, through her own untimely death.”

(E. Roberts Schimitz – “The Piano Works of Claude Debussy” – Dover)

I hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[ronel]

Wow, thanx a lot Bernard - that really helped a lot! Now I can put some meaning into the piece... I was immensely frustrated by it, but now I'll try again.

It's actually tragic that his daughter died so young - isn't it?

[pokita]

The little sheperd is such a beautiful piece. It's the first thing I played by Debussy and it's still one of my favourites. It's amazing how much he does there with so little. If you get frustrated by it, I'd suggest to listen to some recordings, e.g. by Michelangeli. I'm learning Schönberg Op.19 (Six little piano pieces) at the moment and I have a terrible time with it, and in some way the pieces sometimes remind me of the little sheperd - they look like a piece of cake but I really couldn't figure out how to let them sound interesting until I listened to a recording by Pollini, which somehow pushed me in the right direction.

[bernhard]

Wow, thanx a lot Bernard - that really helped a lot! Now I can put some meaning into the piece... I was immensely frustrated by it, but now I'll try again.

It's actually tragic that his daughter died so young - isn't it?

You are welcome.

The complete story is even more poignant.

Debussy had a very complicated love life. He lived for many years with Gabrielle Lhery, a difficult relationship that at some point even had Gabrielle shooting herself (a suicide attempt she survived) on account of one of Debussy’s many infidelities. He never married here though, and in 1899 (he was still living with Gabrielle), he left her and married Rosalie Texier, a fashion model. It is generally thought that both women were very satisfying as bed partners, but intellectually his inferiors. And so it was that after five years of marriage, Debussy met Emma Bardac, then the wife of a banker. Beautiful, blonde and green eyed (just like his two previous loves), she was this time his intellectual equal. Debussy fell for her head over heels and they both eloped to Jersey, where he wrote “L’Isle Joyeuse”. Her husband did not worry too much (she had already had an affair with Fauré) saying: “She’s just treating herself to the latest fashion in composers. But I am the one with the money. She will be back.”

The whole affair became a scandal and hit the papers though. Rosalie (just as Gabrielle before ) shot herself (and just like Gabrielle, survived). As a consequence, Emma was disinherited, Debussy lost his friends (who thought his behaviour towards Rosalie was appalling), and Emma’s family cut her out on account of them living together openly (at the time a most shocking practice). It was at this point (1905) that Emma became pregnant, and they had a girl Claude-Emma (Chouchou), born on 30 October 1905.

Emma’s husband, meanwhile, accepted that she would not be back and granted her a divorce so that they could be married. After much litigation both with Emma’s husband and Rosalie, they finally got married in January 1908. The marriage again, made the tabloids, but it is generally thought that the scandal helped to promote Debussy’s career (he was always plagued by financial difficulties). In fact, maybe for the first time in his life he had found some domestic and financial stability (his opera Pelleas & Melisande had been a big success).

Yet, within all this context of personal and social difficulties, it is accepted that his main source of happiness was his daughter Chouchou, to whom he was a completely devoted father. She was to inspire most of the music he composed after 1908 (and not only Children’c Corner).

In 1909, he went to the doctor with a series of complaints, now believed to be the start of the cancer that would eventually kill him (and which was diagnosed with certainty in 1915) and his financial difficulties resumed.

1910 was the worst year so far. Not only his illness got worse, as his father died. His finances were the worst ever

Debussy died on 25 March 1918.  Soon afterwards, his daughter Chouchou died of diphtheria in 1919.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[betricia]

Thanks Bernhard.  A touching and tragic story.  About which of his women did he write "La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin" or was it for his daughter? Or not for any of them?
Patricia
 

[betricia]

Anyone know who La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin was?

[abell88]

Anyone know who La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin was?

I was at a Debussy lecture/demonstration many years ago...I believe she was the subject of a poem -- about a prostitute (smoking in a cafe, if I remember correctly...but it was a long time ago).

[abell88]

I was at a Debussy lecture/demonstration many years ago...I believe she was the subject of a poem -- about a prostitute (smoking in a cafe, if I remember correctly...but it was a long time ago).

Well, it appears that either I was mis-informed, or my memory is really wonky...

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,2533.0.html

[betricia]

As a Scottish lass myself I was so glad to read the poem that Bernhard took the trouble to find and post.  I am also pleased she was not an unhappy woman and will think of her sitting in the field of flax while I try and make the Debussy piece sound musical.
Thanks Bernhard.  Is there anything you don't know?  Your posts are so helpful.
Patricia
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