Rhapsodie - English Horn and Piano

The Rhapsody for Saxophone and Orchestra was commissioned from Debussy in 1901 by Elise Hall, a wealthy American saxophonist. In 1903, a first part of it was written, realised on five or six staves with some indications of the orchestration. For reasons that are unknown, Debussy did not continue his task. It was only in 1919 that the work was created, in an orchestration by Jean Roger-Ducasse.

In 1935, the conductor André Ansermet reorchestrated the work, providing more solos for the saxophone, which were taken from the orchestral parts. Following this, many arrangements for saxophone and piano have been inspired by Ansermet’s version.

In this present adaptation for cor anglais, having regard to the intimate character of the instrument, I have been led to choose some original solutions, favouring those which work best with the piano.