Identifier: orchestraitsinst00sing (find matches)
Title: The orchestra and its instruments
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors: Singleton, Esther, d. 1930
Subjects: Orchestra Musical instruments
Publisher: New York : The Symphony society of New York
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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ed sprays and sprigs. x Debussy thus explains some of his titles: The titleof Nocturnes is to be interpreted in a wider sense thanthat usually given, and most especially it should beunderstood as having a decorative meaning. There-fore, the usual form of Nocturne has not been consid-ered, and the word should be accepted as signifying inthe fullest manner diversified impressions. Nuages (clouds) —the unchanging aspect of the skyand the slow, solemn movement of the clouds dis-solving in gray tints lightly touched with white. Fetes (festivities) —the restless dancing rhythm ofthe atmosphere interspersed with sudden flashes oflight. There is also an incidental procession (a daz-zling imaginary vision) passing through and minglingwith the aerial revelry; but the background of un-interrupted festivity is persistent with its blendingof music and luminous dust participating in the uni-versal rhythm of all things. Sirenes (sirens) — the sea and its perpetual rhythm, 1 Mrs. Franz Liebich.
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THE ORCHESTRA 273 and then amid waves silvered by moonbeams are heardthe laughter and mysterious song of passing sirens/ Some critics have called Debussy a revolutionist.They are wrong. Debussys musical ancestors areRameau and Couperin; and his works show us thatrevolution is merely evolution made clear for all tosee. Such is the French music of the present — beautiful,refined, clear, polished, delicate, enchanting! We, in our great country, like to hear all schoolsof music, and our wonderful orchestras are able toplay equally well the works of all composers and of allschools and nationalities. Some of us prefer theFrench, some of us the Russian, and some of us theGerman Schools; but our taste is broad and cultured,and we wish to hear the various ways in which themusical minds of the day are expressing themselves. What an advance since the days of a consort of lutes,or viols ! What a development since the Fifteenth Cen-tury, when gentle ladies played the psalterion and fluteand viel

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