Girl with the Flaxen Hair
Though Debussy made no such direct attribution, it is well established that the title of the eighth prelude from book one of his 24 Preludes was inspired by Leconte de Lisle’s poem La fille aux cheveux de lin, which is part of de Lisle'sChansons Ecossaises (Scottish songs) published in 1852.
Debussy composed this often orchestrated and even more frequently performed work in January 1910 in a flurry of compositional activity. Debussy, who was a characteristically deliberate composer, finished all of the first 12 preludes in just a few months (started in December of 1909 and completed in February of 1910).
Composer
Claude Debussy
Arranger
Michael Allen
Duration
2' 30"
Instrumentation
444.12 perc - Trumpet in E flat, Piccolo Trumpet in B flat, Trumpet in B flat, Flugelhorn, 4 Horns, 3 Tenor Trombones, Bass Trombone, Euphonium, 2 Tubas, Glockenspiel & Suspended Cymbal
Difficulty
Grade 5 - advanced college/university or professional ensemble
File Format
Full score and parts in PDF available for download.