Quiz question: What's the connection between Debussy and the 19th century coal industry?

[Andy Evans]

"Another short piano piece is examined in detail because it is a recent discovery: “Les soirs illuminés par l’ardeur du charbon,” which Debussy gave to his coal dealer early in 1917 in lieu of payment for a delivery. The title is a line from Baudelaire’s “Le balcon,” which Debussy had set in 1888 as no. 1 of his Cinq poèmes de Baudelaire; the piece itself has brief echoes of “Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir” [Préludes, book 1, no. 4, 1910], whose title in turn is from Baudelaire’s “Harmonies du soir,” no. 2 in Debussy’s cycle."

But i imagine you're talking about The Keel Row, a Tyneside folk song in Images. The "keelmen" of Northumberland manned the keel boats the carried coal on the River Tyne.

[Andrew Clarke]

Post by Andy Evans
"Another short piano piece is examined in detail because it is a recent discovery: “Les soirs illuminés par l’ardeur du charbon,” which Debussy gave to his coal dealer early in 1917 in lieu of payment for a delivery. The title is a line from Baudelaire’s “Le balcon,” which Debussy had set in 1888 as no. 1 of his Cinq poèmes de Baudelaire; the piece itself has brief echoes of “Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir” [Préludes, book 1, no. 4, 1910], whose title in turn is from Baudelaire’s “Harmonies du soir,” no. 2 in Debussy’s cycle."

There was also the brief unpublished sketch of a piece called "Les anglaises sont d'exquises chauffeuses" written after parking himself in front a blazing fire in Folkestone after a chilly voyage across the Channel with somebody else's missus, and admiring the shapely proportions of the hotel maid who put the coals on.

Post by Andy Evans
But i imagine you're talking about The Keel Row, a Tyneside folk song in Images. The "keelmen" of Northumberland manned the keel boats the carried coal on the River Tyne.

Full marks. A most unexpected quotation of one of the best known tunes in Britain. It also appeared in part of Scotland, but this is much less well known: there is, it's just struck me, a Scottish Snap in the chorus. I was talking about "Gigues" with my wife and found that It was impossible for me to sing the original tune without reverting to the Debussy version. What an earworm. A shame he never got around to "Cushie Butterfield".

Here's another gigue (and another earworm) ...

I am madly in love with the lady basse de viole player but alas, she only has eyes for the flautist.

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

[M&S Frost]

British posters will spot the connection immediately, but how many others do?
Andrew Clarke
Canberra

How many sopranos does it take to screw in a light bulb? Just one. She holds up the bulb and the world revolves around her.

MIFrost

[Andrew Clarke]

Post by M&S Frost

British posters will spot the connection immediately, but how many others do?
Andrew Clarke
Canberra

How many sopranos does it take to screw in a light bulb? Just one. She holds up the bulb and the world revolves around her.

Wrong. The correct answer is *seven*. One to work the switch, four to turn the table, one to hold the bulb and one to say, "Was that too high for you, darling?"

Turning to less serious matters, I wonder where Debussy came across "The Keel Row"? It was best known in and around industrial Tyneside, an area not best known for its appreciation of avant-garde French culture, although with a popular culture all of its own. And some of the most memorable English folksongs come from the austerely beautiful Northumberland country around it.

It's also a reminder, maybe a necessary one, that England extends beyond a fifty-mile radius of London ...

For an appreciation of avant-garde French culture within a fifty mile radius of London, see

<https://emotemuse.com/g/?p=3909>

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

"Ah always remember when I wor wed. The minister said "With all my worldly goods I thee endow". Me mam said "Thar gangs 'is bike".

[Andy Evans]

It's also a reminder, maybe a necessary one, that England extends beyond a fifty-mile radius of London ... >

Are you sure about that.....? I've never yet met anyone who has ventured that far into outer darkness... This isn't somebody with a funny accent trying to con you?

[Andrew Clarke]

Post by Andy Evans

It's also a reminder, maybe a necessary one, that England extends beyond a fifty-mile radius of London ... >

Are you sure about that.....? I've never yet met anyone who has ventured that far into outer darkness... This isn't somebody with a funny accent trying to con you?

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

[dk]

Post by Andrew Clarke

Post by Andy Evans

It's also a reminder, maybe a necessary one, that England extends beyond a fifty-mile radius of London ... >

Are you sure about that.....? I've never yet met anyone who has ventured that far into outer darkness... This isn't somebody with a funny accent trying to con you?

http://youtu.be/42rcGKprn9Q

YT: "This video is not available."

dk

[Graham]

Post by dk

Post by Andrew Clarke

Post by Andy Evans

It's also a reminder, maybe a necessary one, that England extends beyond a fifty-mile radius of London ... >

Are you sure about that.....? I've never yet met anyone who has ventured that far into outer darkness... This isn't somebody with a funny accent trying to con you?

http://youtu.be/42rcGKprn9Q

YT: "This video is not available."
dk

Look up "Rambling Syd Rumpo" on utube.

[Andrew Clarke]

Post by dk

Post by Andrew Clarke

Post by Andy Evans

It's also a reminder, maybe a necessary one, that England extends beyond a fifty-mile radius of London ... >

Are you sure about that.....? I've never yet met anyone who has ventured that far into outer darkness... This isn't somebody with a funny accent trying to con you?

http://youtu.be/42rcGKprn9Q

YT: "This video is not available."
dk

May not, sadly, be available in the USA, although clearly visible - and audible - in the USA. Try

By way of contrast:

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

[number_six]

Post by Andrew Clarke
Turning to less serious matters, I wonder where Debussy came across "The Keel Row"? It was best known in and around industrial Tyneside, an area not best known for its appreciation of avant-garde French culture, although with a popular culture all of its own. And some of the most memorable English folksongs come from the austerely beautiful Northumberland country around it.

I enjoyed Along the Coaly Tyne, a collection of Northumberland songs on the Topic label.