Ex. 6-8: Nuit d'étoiles

Composed in 1880 when Debussy was 18. This was his first published work, issued by the Paris firm E. Bulla in 1882. The poem is by Théodore de Banville (1823–1891), from his collection Les Stalactites.

Banville's poem is actually titled "La dernière pensée de Weber" (Weber's Last Thought); Debussy named the song after its refrain. Under a starry night, the poet dreams of loves that are gone: "Nuit d'étoiles, sous tes voiles… je rêve aux amours défunts" (Night of stars, beneath your veils… I dream of departed loves).

The song is dedicated to Mme Moreau-Sainti, whose vocal class Debussy accompanied as a pianist. It was in this class that he met the soprano Marie-Blanche Vasnier, who became his muse — over the next several years he wrote 27 songs for her.

From the album Chanson d'Amour by Sabine Devieilhe and Alexandre Tharaud (2020)
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