http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preludes_%28Debussy%29

Next time check Wikipedia first.

Are such churlish responses typical of this forum?

Well, not of me personally, but they can be from many other users. Consider it a sort of initiation, for it was nothing personal. I'm usually a really nice guy who will help out others with pertinent information that is needed.

According to Oxford Music Online, he started composing the first book of preludes in the late months of 1909, during his travels in Britain, and completed them in 1910 (Chopin's centenary year).

I was just reading this piece this evening by coincidence. I'm sure you've noticed the passage where you're supposed to imitate the rhythm of a drum. The directions say "quasi tambouro" which is neither French nor Italian. "Quasi" means "almost" in both languages, but the second word would be spelled "tambour" in French and "tamburo" in Italian.

Minstrel shows were a popular form of entertainment starting way back in the 19th century in the US, usually consisting of white performers in blackface, who would tell corny jokes and play lively music with a lot of banjos etc. I'm sure by 1910 they were popular everywhere in Europe, so Debussy could certainly have seen them in France or England. It's the same sort of idea as "Golliwog's Cakewalk". (Hopelessly racist today of course.)

Thanks again for the replies.

Yes, travelling minstrel shows were very popular in Britain before WW1, especially at seaside resorts.

Debussy and Emma Bardac stayed at the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne in the summer of 1905, and he is said to have put the finishing touches to 'La Mer' while at that hotel.  They also visited Jersey at about the same time.  They would certainly have seen minstrel shows on the seafront in both places.

Someone has told me that he got the idea for 'Minstrels' from a travelling band (perhaps 'band' in the sense of a troop of performers?) that he had seen in England.  Thanks to information received on this forum, I now know that the piece was written later than 1905, but it's possible that an idea could have stayed with him.  I would dearly love to find evidence from a biography or other work.  I will go to our local library this week but the music section may not be well stocked.

The following websites have information:-

 http://www.debussy.fr/ (and) http://www.litart.co.uk/

The second has an account of his visit to England; the detective work relating to the Blüthner which he first rented, and then took back to France, is superb.

Anyway, I hope that someone on this forum will have a book which may help with regard to his inspiration for 'Minstrels'.

Comments greatly appreciated ...

M

Here is the book gerryjay mentioned in his post. And "cabrioles" is "somesaults", yes. The sentence reads, "from the somersaults of the Minstrels in Eastbourne, in 1905". Eastbourne is a town in East Sussex, England.

This site asserts that Debussy purchased a piano in Eastbourne:

http://www.elainegreenfield.com/pages/histrec.htm

One recently published book on French Piano music of this era (especially Chabrier, Faure, Debussy and Ravel) is this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-French-Piano-Music-Chabrier/dp/0300145470/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256733400&sr=1-1


I have just finished reading it. I don't have my copy to hand and can't remember what it says about this particular piece but in general it's an excellent book - including lots of performance advice.