Images Pour Orchestre

Claude Debussy (1862-1918) had originally intended for Images pour orchestre to be a sequel to the first set if Images for solo piano. However, around 1905, he had decided to orchestrate the compositions rather than set them for two pianos working on them between 1905-1912. The work is written in three movements: I. Gigues, II. Iberia, and III. Rondes de printemps (Round dances of spring). But each of the three movements are customarily performed individually much as they were published. The most popular is the Spain-inspired second movement, Iberia, which itself is broken into three movements written between 1905 and 1908. Premiering February 20, 1910 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris by the Orchestre de Concerts Colonne under Gabriel Pierne, Iberia was praised by Manuel de Falla for its authentic Spanish flavor and spirit, though Debussy had only spend a few hours in the country. Instrumentation: 3(3rd dPicc)+Picc.2+EH.3.3+CtrBsn: 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(6): Hp(2): Clst: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).