Claude Debussy

Ariettes Oubliées

The Ariettes Oubliées are a song cycle composed by Claude Debussy, based on poems by Paul Verlaine. They were written between 1885 and March 1887, primarily in Rome in 1886, and are dedicated to the singer Mary Garden. The six poems stem from the collection "Romances sans Paroles" (Romances Without Words) of Paul Verlaine, published in 1874. The first three texts are a part of the Ariettes Oubliées (numbers 1,2, and 9), Chevaux de Bois (Wooden Horses) from Paysages Belges (The Belgian Countryside); Green and Spleen are from Aquarelles (Watercolors).
The desire to play French music, especially by one of its most iconic composers, Claude Debussy, provided the motivation to make these transcriptions. The horn and the human voice are very similar to each other, and the Ariettes Oubliées are among the most instrumental of Debussy's melodies.
FIrst prizewinner of the 2018 International Prague Spring Competition, Alexandre Collard is an inquisitive and versatile horn player. He has been solo horn of the Orchestre National de Lille since 2011. A passionate chamber musician, he founded the Ensemble Polygones, a group with a flexible instrumentation specializing in romantic and contemporary repertoire. He also teaches at the Regional Conservatory of Music in Douai. Alexandre recently recorded his first solo album, "Aquarelles," with pianist Nicolas Royez for the Paraty label.