THIS was a reaction to the first British performance of Debussy's Prélude a l’apres-midi d’un faune at the Proms on 20 August 1904; it marked the start of a British fascination with Debussy's new and strange ‘atmospheric’ music. Writing in a similarly general vain, the critic Edward Baughan of the London Daily News described it as ‘a thing of airy nothings’. These responses reflect a genuine sense of encountering something new and intriguing. Building on the work of Roger Nichols and Leanne Langley, this chapter examines the reception of Debussy's and Ravel's orchestral music in Britain. It notes the major performances, particularly in London, but also the ripple effect throughout the whole of Britain. Debussy's own presence as conductor in 1908 and 1909 generated significant attention on the composer. Indeed, the first biographies of Debussy were published that year by British rather than French authors, who attempted to identify a language in which to describe Debussy's highly original music. Ravel's reception in Britain was more mixed; he was generally regarded as less spontaneous and original than Debussy. While some of his orchestral works dazzled British audiences, others disappointed or confounded critics. Only his Boléro made a real impression and, like Debussy's Prélude, became a firm favourite with British audiences. Finally, Edwin Evans and Georges Jean-Aubry emerged as outspoken advocates for French music and sought to use their influence to reorient the direction of British music at a critical political moment in Britain and Europe. The chapter teases out how Debussy and Ravel were understood in Britain and the impact their music had on British composers.

❧ Debussy in Britain

Henry Wood had a considerable role in making Prélude a l’apres-midi d’un faune widely known in Britain. He claimed that the work quickly became a staple of the British performing repertory after he introduced it during the 1904 Proms season. From 1906 Debussy's Prélude appeared almost every year until the Second World War, and sometimes more than once (see Table 4.1).