Debussy catalogue

[petershott@btinternet.com]

I wonder if any erudite member can offer some clarification over the Debussy work list?

For some time I've always identified particular works by using the Lesure numbers. I believe Francois Lesure published a revised catalogue in 1977. In recent years the Debussy 'industry' has really hummed, and a considerable number of additional works have been added. Some are new discoveries such as the charming 2 minute trifle that Debussy dedicated to his coal merchant in gratitude for a supply of coal in the bleak 1916-1917 winter. Others are reworkings of earlier works. All these additions and revisions would seem to be incorporated in the IMSLP/Petrucci music library work list which uses the Lesure numbers.

So far, so good. Puzzles arose when I bought the collected Noriko Ogawa discs that BIS has now issued in a 6CD boxed set. I noted the reviews of individual discs as they were released, and the Ogawa performances became more and more tempting to the point where the availability of the whole set at a generous price was irresistible despite many Debussy piano discs already on the shelves. Having dipped in throughout the box, the purchase is amply vindicated - performances and recordings are up there with the best.

But that's just autobiography, and why the puzzle? The detailed booklet notes by one Leif Hasselgren also give what are claimed to be Lesure numbers - but in the majority of cases they are significantly different from what I've thought of as the standard and widely accepted Lesure catalogue. Thus to take just one example, Book 1 of the Preludes is (on the standard catalogue) L117, but in the BIS set it is referred to as L125. And, without counting, there must be at least 100 other examples of lack of fit between the 'standard' and the 'BIS' lists.

Of course in one sense all this matters not a jot, and doesn't interfere with the enjoyment of the music. But then of course it does! Maybe all those years ago I was subject to rigorous potty-training, but I do like classifications to be correct. They must be in order to be reliable.

So what is going on here? BIS surely can't be wrong - this Debussy collection is obviously something prized by them and they would take care to present it correctly. On the other hand I'm not aware of any radical revisions or rather re-numberings in the Lesure catalogue.

Can anyone cast light on the issue? And apologies for undoubtedly being boringly pedantic!

[TerraEpon]

Actually 1977 was the original catalog, and it was revised in, I believe 2003.
http://www.debussy.fr/encd/catalog/chronopus.php has the new list (with the old 'established' list in parenthesis).

So yes, there WAS a radical renumbering, and unlike most catalogs it didn't keep the old numbers in place but just redid them all. Any that may the same is just a coincidence.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Thank you very much, TerraEpon. Obviously I have pretty naff research skills, for I was not aware of the Centre de Documentation Claude Debussy and in particular how Lesure himself had offered that very radical revision in 2003.

Life becomes more complicated! I've now got that revised numbering system, and will have to learn to make it fit all my existing Debussy documents and references. Very clumsy to have to think, e.g. L74 (L66).

Heaven help us if a Germanic Lesure ever got to work on, for example, Haydn!

Many thanks again for the enlightenment. Just as well that, in common with Socrates, I never mind confessing my ignorance!