Some Publications

During the “Pierre Louÿs years”—which, throughout the correspondence between the two men, seemed so often carefree and slightly crazy—there was almost no mention of Debussy in the Parisian columns or in the press. The publications of the Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, based on Mallarmé (October 1895), the “Sarabande” for piano (February 1896), and “La chevelure” (October 1897) were not deemed newsworthy. In 1897, Debussy made a vague promise to the Société nationale committee (of which he was still a member) to write a new quartet and, astonishingly, a quintet with oboe! But plans outnumbered projects, and on the last day of that year, when the thirty-five-year-old composer sent his greetings to his generous publisher, he had to admit that he had accomplished next to none of his goals from the previous year.

However, in Symbolist circles, whose vitality had largely dissipated, Debussy was still recognized as the musical representative. He was more than likely present—with Viélé-Griffin, Mallarmé, Jean de Tinan, and many others— at the one-year memorial mass in honor of Verlaine and at the Batignolles cemetery on 15 January 1897. In any case, he attended the banquet for Mallarmé, on 2 February 1897, to celebrate the publication of the latter's Divagations—a get-together that incidentally caused ethical dilemmas for some people and the notable absence of Valéry and Gide. Even if Debussy claimed to be bored at the banquet, at least he got to meet the Parnassian poet José-Maria de Heredia there. And, on 12 September 1898, he sent his condolences to Mallarmé's widow: “Permit me to express my genuine and deep sorrow along with all those who knew the admirable being who was Stéphane Mallarmé and who understand the loss that Art in all of its manifestations has just suffered!”

The uncertain state in which Debussy found himself, creatively speaking, is confirmed by the number of projects that remained unrealized. Along these lines, Julia Robert proposed that he write incidental music for Verlaine's play, Les uns et les autres, chosen for the opening of the Théâtre Salon (the future Grand Guignol). Once again, he accepted but was not able to finish in time. When the Théâtre Salon opened in May 1896, Charles de Sivry, who was called upon to help, ultimately composed the score.