Claude Debussy - La Mer

"La mer, trois esquisses symphoniques pour orchestre" ( "The sea, three symphonic sketches for orchestra") is an orchestral composed between 1903 and 1905 by Claude Debussy. It is a masterpiece of suggestion and subtlety in its rich depiction of the sea, which combines unusual orchestration with bold impressionistic harmonies and floating tonal colours; while the structure of the work places it outside of both absolute music and programme music as those terms were understood in the early 20th century, it obviously uses descriptive devices to suggest wind, waves and the ambience of the sea. But structuring a piece around a nature subject without any literary or human element to it (neither people, nor mythology, nor ships are suggested in the piece ) also was very unusual at the time. The piece is divided into three movements:
1. "De l'aube à midi sur la mer" ("From dawn to noon on the sea");
2. "Jeux de vagues" ("Play of the Waves");
3. "Dialogue du vent et de la mer" ("Dialogue of the wind and the sea").
Performers: Vladimir Ashkenazy & Cleveland Orchestra.