Carbon and Parfum: Baudelaire through Debussy

Parfums Debussy

This week Dr. Tobin makes a connection between two very special pieces, the prelude from book one, «Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir» (“The sounds and fragrances swirl through the evening air”) 1909, and  Les Soirs illuminés par l’ardeur du charbon (Evenings Lit by the Burning Coals). 1918. Debussy was inspired in both cases by poetry of Charles Baudelaire, listen to the presentation to see how that worked! A special treat at the end is Dr. Tobin’s performance of “parfums” on Debussy’s 1905 Bluethner piano in Brive la Gaillarde France.

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