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1: Le martyre de Saint-Sébastien
Author(s): Robert Orledge
Source: The Musical Times , Dec., 1974, Vol. 115, No. 1582 (Dec., 1974), pp. 1030-
1033+1035
Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd.
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Robert Orledge
The aim of these articles on Debussy's orchestral in 1911. While the original appeal was for help
collaborations with Caplet and Koechlin is to trace with 'the material aspects of his professional work',
the exact extent of Debussy's participation in the the collaboration developed into something more
orchestration. Apart from the unimaginative chorus important. Ida Rubinstein, in league with
parts in the last act of Le martyre, there can be d'Annunzio, had first approached Roger-Ducasse
no doubt that the music itself was composed solely in November 1910 as composer for Le martyre.
by Debussy, as was the whole of the ballet Khamma, After he regretfully declined,3 d'Annunzio asked
on whicfi a second article will follow shortly. Ida Rubinstein if he 'dared' approach Debussy.
Documentary evidence on the literary, external and She replied that he should do so personally, but as
production aspects of these collaborations is already a precaution also secured an acceptance in principle
fairly complete1 and is only summarized briefly from Florent Schmitt. Debussy appears to have
here in the interests of clarity and perspective. The accepted the commission some time around 7-9
principal approach is from the musical angle, which December 1910 (the letter has not survived).
has so far been treated only in passing. D'Annunzio congratulated him on his decision in a
Debussy met his most important collaborator, telegram dated 10 December, and promptly
Andre Caplet, through G. Jean-Aubry in 1907, the announced the fact in the papers the following day.
year that Caplet organized a concert of Debussy's Letters to Emma Debussy from d'Annunzio and
works in his native Le Havre. Debussy came to the impresario Gabriel Astruc show that much
have great respect for Caplet as composer, musician persuasion on her part proved necessary despite
and conductor, and also as a friend. He recognized the promise of a considerable (and much needed)
his talents immediately, and wrote to Jean-Aubry financial reward.
in January 1908 after hearing two of Caplet's songs So far, Debussy had no knowledge of the text of
for the first time:2 Le martyre; Act 3 ('musically the most important')
This Caplet is an artist. He knows how to capture arrived first, on 9 January 1911, followed by Act 1
a sonorous atmosphere, and with a pleasing on 13 February. The complete five-act poem was
sensibility, a sense of proportion; something not finished until 2 March, just over two and a half
sufficiently rare that one cannot believe it in our months before the date fixed for its premiere at the
times of music which is either haphazard or Theatre du Chatelet (22 May). The score itself
sealed like a cork!
seems to have been written in under three months,
Caplet's similar attraction to Poe, which led to the possibly nearer two. Debussy wrote to d'Annunzio
Conte fantastique (after The Mask of the Red Death) on 29 January that it was 'not without a certain
for chromatic harp and string quartet in 1919, terror that I see the moment approaching when I
probably served to strengthen the tie between the must actually write something',4 and on 14 February,
pair, Caplet being the more practical and industrious perhaps finally prompted to face the task by the
though lacking Debussy's vision and consummate arrival of another act the day before, wrote to
taste. His performances of Debussy's music did Caplet: 'I have very little time to write a great deal
much to consolidate the latter's international
of music-you know how much this pleases me!
reputation, and in his role as amanuensis Debussy So there is not a moment to lose in deciding'.5
had occasion to call him 'le tombeau des fautes', This implies that Debussy was only just beginning
'I'ange des corrections'. Besides Saint-Sebastien, to write his score, if in fact he had begun. In early
Caplet completed the orchestration of Gigues (1912) February he was also occupied with rehearsals for
and La boite a joujoux (1919), orchestrated Pagodesa revival of Pelleas et Mdlisande which took place
and Children's Corner (1910), reorchestrated the on the 18th, and had spent much of January finishing
early song Le jet d'eau (first orchestrated by Debussythe second version of Gigues. From a letter to Durand
in 1907), and arranged Iberia and La mer for two it appears that the last pages of the score may have
and three pianos respectively and Gigues for piano been delivered in April, as he says: 'Here, if you
duet. He also prepared the vocal score for Le agree, is the last appeal of St Sebastian, and I
martyre in 1911, and the four-movement concert confess that I am not displeased with it'. The strain
suite based on Debussy's incidental music in 1912. of forced production was evident, as he added: 'As
It was the time element which compelled Debussy I have told you several times already, I am at the
to call on Caplet's services over Le martyre early end of my tether'.6 St Sebastian's last appeal,
lOn Le martyre see G. Tosi, ed.: Claude Debussy et Gabriele however, comes in Act 4, so the music of Act 5 in
d'Annunzio: correspondance inedite (Paris, 1948) for a full Paradise may well have taken Debussy into May
account of its genesis and fruition. Also E. Lockspeiser:
Debussy: his Life and Mind, ii (London, 1965), 157-67; L.
3see Tosi, op cit, 22; Roger-Ducasse's two letters to d'Annunzio
Vallas: Claude Debussy: his Life and Works (Paris, 1933,
are reproduced on p.114.
Eng. trans M. and G. O'Brien, rev. 1973), 224-34; G. Cohen:
'Gabriele d'Annunzio et Le Martyre de Saint-Sebastien', 4Tosi; op cit., letter 16, 63-4; Debussy himself said the score
Mercure de France, xci/336 (1911), 688-709; ReM (1957), took him only 'two months' (Comoedia, 18 May 1911; see
special number on Le martyre. below).
2quoted in Claude Debussy: Lettres inedites a Andre Caplet 5quoted in Lockspeiser: op cit, 160
(1908-14) (Monaco, 1957), 23 6Lockspeiser: op cit, 164n
1030
1031
Ex. 1 a Opera Res. 2004 Act 4 Prelude, p.6 bar 3f. b Durand printed score, p. ISS last 3 bars
a2
Hp. - * _ Hp. IP 9
Cymbal o Cymb. ° f s _ o
IPP] pp
/ (Str. ppp, muted) (Str. ppp, muted)
Vc. vc. c
CB 3- ~ -
1033
10J5