The Debussy Film Page #2

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it was all going on, in Paris

and in London, in the 1890s...

(I "La demoiselle lue")

(Women's voices)

J La demoiselle lue s'appuyait

J Sur la barrire d'0r du ciel

Ses yeux taient plus profonds

que I'abime

J Des eaux calmes

J Au soir

J Elle avait trois lys a la main

J Et sept toiles dans les cheveux,,,

You know, they wanted all the arts

to be mixed together.

Now read this. This is by Baudelaire,

but Debussy said

the same sort of thing himself.

"It would be truly surprising if sound

were not capable of suggesting colour,

"if colours could not give the idea

of a melody."

He saw Turner's paintings

when he was in London.

He wanted his music to be like paintings,

to be paintings in sound.

His titles are for paintings -

clouds, moonlight, fog.

Sketchesfior La Mer.

Studies In Black And White.

Sorry, start again.

"It would be truly surprising if sound

were not capable of suggesting colour.

"If colours could not give

the idea of a melody,

"and if sound and colour were inadequate

to express ideas.

"For things have ever found expression

in reciprocal analogies

"since the day when God put forth the

world as a complex and indivisible whole."

(Gaby) Amen.

Oh, can't we go?

I'm bored.

Hm. Yeah, OK.

(Whispers) Ciao.

(Director) Wait.

Let me show you just one more.

(Director) Whistler.

He called his paintings "nocturnes",

and Debussy,

who wrote three nocturnes himself,

said that they were studies in grey.

The one I...

like best is...

Ftes.

A fantastic procession,

the vibrating, dancing rhythm

of the atmosphere,

with sudden flashes of light.

(P March-like music)

(Music obscures speech)

(Music fades)

- Is this Lilly?

- Yes.

- Hello.

- Hi.

Come along here, darling,

I want to talk to you.

- All right? Can I help you?

- That's OK.

- Are you cold?

- No.

- Did you have a nice swim?

- It was fine, thanks.

This is, er...Debussy.

(Lilly) Hello.

This is, er...

Sorry, darling.

- This is, er...0ur little Gaby.

- Hello.

And this is my secretary.

All right? Shall we go and see

the rough cut?

All right?

(Director) Oh, please. Not again!

You behave, old man!

- What am I going to see?

- Did you read that book I told you about?

Most of it.

Oh.

I'm surprised.

And did you read this chapter

about Pierre Louys?

Well, I didn't get that far.

Ah.

To follow this, you must know.

Well, er... Hm...

Can we hold it

for a few minutes, please?

Thank you.

Er...

Debussy is working in Paris,

er...living with Gaby.

Or rather she's working and he's living.

He earned next to nothing.

Then he met Pierre Louys.

Louys was rich.

He collected rare books,

oriental tapestries,

cocktail recipes, betting systems,

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