Paul Dukas’ 1912 ballet in one act, La Péri, is based on a Persian folktale.
Iskender, an aged king, steals the magic Flower of Immortality from the hands of the sleeping Péri, a beautiful winged fairylike creature. Immediately, Iskender is filled with the vitality of youth, and consumed with earthly material desires. He falls in love with Péri. Performing a dance which brings her gradually closer, Péri is able to take back the lotus flower. As she returns to Paradise, the calm Iskender is left to die.
Scored for majestic brass choir, the Fanfare pour précéder la péri is heard before the curtain rises. Dukas composed it at the last minute, perhaps with the intention of quieting the audience. Now, the Fanfare is heard frequently as a celebratory concert opener. It grabs our attention with a bold antiphonal dialogue. The second section begins with a noble and aspiring theme, introduced by the horns. The Fanfare concludes with a sweeping trumpet flourish.
A close friend and classmate of Debussy, Paul Dukas (1865-1935) was a professor at the Paris Conservatory. A ruthless self-critic, he destroyed many of his works. In addition to the Fanfare, Dukas is remembered for his enchanting orchestral scherzo, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, popularized by the 1940 Disney film Fantasia.
This celebrated 2014 recording of the Fanfare from La Péri features conductor Jean-Luc Tingaud and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra:
Recordings
- Dukas: Fanfare pour précéder la péri, Jean-Luc Tingaud, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra Naxos
Featured Image: L. Bakst’s costumes from “La Péri”