Bilitis

Debussy had known Pierre Louys since 1893, and a deep-rooted and fruitful friendship had grown up between them. Debussy based three compositions on the poems by Louys: "Trois Chansons de Bilitis" (1897); "Les Chansons de Bilitis"; and "Six Epigraphes Antiques" (1914). The present edition for flute and piano follows the "Six Epigraphes Antiques" in Nos. I - V but the "Chansons de Bilitis" in No. VI. The flautist is required to play with an extremely subtle, poetic and colourful range of tone, while the pianist needs the consistency, fluent graciousness and imagination implicit in the poetic material.