In "La Mer", Debussy portrays the sea in its various moods, but does not attempt explicit images in sound; rather, through sonorities he seeks to stir the memories, emotions and imagination, permitting each listener a personal perception of the sea.

In three parts, the first, "From Dawn to Noon on the Sea" ("De l'aube à midi sur la mer"), begins very quietly, with slow, mysterious murmuring. Through sonority itself, Debussy evokes the sensation of peering into the very depths of the dark, mysterious sea. As the sea awakens, the orchestral colours brighten and motion quickens. The music swings into a rocking 6/8 meter, and we hear a leisurely call from the muted horns. A mosaic of melodic fragments fills the music in constantly changing sonorities. One of these is heard in the divisi cellos, and is developed into an impressive climax. After subsiding, a new melodic idea, a noble chorale-like passage, appears and slowly grows to paint a majestic picture of the sea under the blazing noonday sun.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Hans Graf, Music Director

Recorded live at the Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore on 14 April 2023.
Audio and video: msm-productions (Singapore)

Join us as a YouTube channel member today to watch the full performance and more
youtube.com/channel/UCREEzq_Crwhf09fQ-sf6Ntw/join