Nuages from 'Nocturnes' by Claude Debussy, arranged for flute choir by Shaul Ben-Meir. Claude Debussy's Nocturnes is a three-movement orchestral work composed between 1897 and 1899. It is one of his most celebrated pieces, reflecting his Impressionist style and his desire to evoke atmosphere, mood, and fleeting impressions rather than conventional musical structures. The piece was inspired by a series of impressionistic paintings by James Abbott McNeill Whistler, whose works often bore the same title, emphasizing tone and mood over narrative. The first movement, Nuages, captures the gentle, ever-changing forms of clouds drifting in the sky. It’s calm, introspective, and almost melancholic, embodying the ephemeral beauty of nature. A recurring motif in the alto flutes symbolizes the slow, continuous movement of clouds.

Instrumentation:

• Piccolo
• 6 C Flutes
• 2 Alto Flutes
• 2 Bass Flutes
• Contrabass Flute