Page d'album (page from a sketch-book, or album) was
written for the WWI relief organization, "Le Vêtement
du Blessé" (The Dressing of the Wounded), in 1915.
They solicited from Debussy a manuscript page to sell
at a fundraising auction, and he obliged with the
autograph copy of a brief waltz for piano. Debussy also
made a copy of the piece, which he later presented to
his wife, Emma, on her birthday of the same year, and
it is this copy that formed the basis for the first
published edition in...(+)
Page d'album (page from a sketch-book, or album) was
written for the WWI relief organization, "Le Vêtement
du Blessé" (The Dressing of the Wounded), in 1915.
They solicited from Debussy a manuscript page to sell
at a fundraising auction, and he obliged with the
autograph copy of a brief waltz for piano. Debussy also
made a copy of the piece, which he later presented to
his wife, Emma, on her birthday of the same year, and
it is this copy that formed the basis for the first
published edition in 1933. It was at the time of this
publication that the piece received its popular title,
"Page d'album", although the manuscripts copy still
bears Emma Debussy's designation, "Pour l'oevre du
'Vêtement du Blessé". A charming and relatively
simple piece, Page d'album is often chosen as a young
pianist's introduction to Debussy.
Although originally written for Piano, I transcribed
this piece for Concert (Pedal) Harp.
