Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune: Half Man, Half Myth, All Debussy

The Listening Service

Tom Service plunges into the heady sound world of Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune.

"The flute of the faun brought new breath to the art of music" according to composer Pierre Boulez - how does Debussy do it? A ten-minute piece of music that apparently broke all the existing rules of harmony and yet is as minutely detailed as any miniature.

And what do flautists make of the famous opening solo - we hear from principal flute player with the London Symphony Orchestra, Gareth Davies, who demonstrates Debussy's strange magic on a flute of the time.