The Songs of Bilitis
The Songs of Bilitis

Author: Pierre Louÿs

Publisher: Courier Corporation

Published: 2010-01-01

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 0486477371

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

These passionate verses were published in 1894 as the lost works of a disciple of Sappho. Although debunked as a work of antiquity, they remain an erotic celebration of sexual freedom. This hardcover edition features a translation from the original French edition, annotations, and more than 160 sensual illustrations by Willy Pogány. Contains adult material.

The Songs of Bilitis
The Songs of Bilitis

Author: Pierre Louÿs

Publisher: Forgotten Books

Published: 2017-12-06

Total Pages: 362

ISBN-13: 9780260861085

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Excerpt from The Songs of Bilitis: Translated From the Greek; Put Into English From the French Notwithstanding the weighty argument and the learned polemics of the distinguished professor in Gottingen, who in 1896 took up arms in learned protest against this collection of pictures of ancient Greek life, told in exquisitely beautiful modern French, and who sought, with it as a text, to bring forward an unnecessary defence of the character of that wonderful priestess and inspiratrice, Sappho, the translator has felt that such a protest and such a de fence were unnecessary, and has believed that the beauty of the pictures presented by many of the songs is sufficient excuse for their existence, in spite of the marked flavor Of sexualism that detracts from, while it does not embellish, the idea sought to be presented. The most enthusiastic defender of the ancients is bound to admit that the pure sexualism and the various forms of sexual degeneracy described in these poems do not furnish an overdrawn picture of the social conditions among the Greeks at the period de scribed; and while there is always a grave questionfor moralists and regulators of social ethics, concerning the advisability of informing the public as to the facts in this respect, the translator believes that public edu cation has so tempered the minds of the majority of the people of this country, that a book Of this charac ter can safely be placed in their hands without harm to individuals and without producing any general per version of public morals or of public conduct. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The Songs of Bilitis
The Songs of Bilitis

Author: Pierre Louÿs

Publisher: Pantianos Classics

Published: 2020-05-30

Total Pages: 126

ISBN-13: 9781789872415

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

First presented as miraculously rediscovered Greek erotic poetry, the Songs of Bilitis were infact the work of French author Pierre Louÿs - nevertheless, they were acclaimed for their sensual style and beauty. The frank depictions of lesbianism in the context of classical Greece were a marriage of two trends popular in late 19th century France. Homosexuality in literature was a novel subject hitherto considered tantalizing and taboo, while the artistic and aesthetic culture of antiquity received homage from several realms of creativity. Louÿs offers a frank presentation of a lesbian couple in Greece, embarking on a journey of sexual discovery and enjoyment tempered by the traumatic experiences of Bilitis. Through her sexuality, Bilitis is shown to mature emotionally, her lesbianism proving a catalyst for physical and mental change. The transience of love and sexual experience, the wisdom gained from her indulgence, and the emotive depth of passion, longing and eventual estrangement construct the essence of Louÿs' personal, expressive growth. Popular with audiences and the lesbian community for decades, this 1926 English edition of the Songs of Bilitis contains 30 illustrations by Willy Pogany.

Debussy's Paris
Debussy's Paris

Author: Catherine Kautsky

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2017-09-15

Total Pages: 255

ISBN-13: 1442269839

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Claude Debussy’s exquisite piano works have captivated generations with their dreamlike atmosphere and mysterious soundscapes. Written in Paris at the height of the Belle Époque, the music creates a soundtrack for Parisians’ enjoyment of such delights as clowns, mermaids, eccentric dances, and the dark tales of Edgar Allan Poe. Debussy’s Paris: Piano Portraits of the Belle Époque explores how key works reflect not only the most appealing and innocent aspects of Paris but also more disquieting attitudes of the time such as racism, colonial domination, and nationalistic hostility. Debussy left no avenue unexplored, and his piano works present a sweeping overview of the passions, vices, and obsessions of the era. Pianist Catherine Kautsky reveals little-known elements of Parisian culture and weaves the music, the man, the city, and the era into an indissoluble whole. Her portrait will delight anyone who has ever been entranced by Debussy’s music or the city that inspired it.

Debussy and His World
Debussy and His World

Author: Jane Fulcher

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2001-08-06

Total Pages: 409

ISBN-13: 1400831954

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Claude Debussy's Paris was factionalized, politicized, and litigious. It was against this background of ferment and change--which characterized French society and music from the Franco-Prussian War to World War I--that Debussy re-thought music. This book captures the complexity of the composer's restless personal and artistic identity within the new picture emerging of the musical, social, and political world of fin-de-siècle Paris. Debussy's setting did not simply mold his style. Rather, it challenged him to define a style and then to revamp it again and again as he situated himself simultaneously via the present and the past. These essays trace Debussy's perpetual reinvention, both social and creative, from his earliest to his last works. They explore tensions and contradictions in his best-known compositions and examine lesser-known pieces that reveal new aspects of Debussy's creative appropriation from poetry, painting, and non-Western music. The contributors reveal the extent to which Debussy's personal and professional lives were intertwined and sometimes in conflict. Belonging to no one group or class, but crossing many, Debussy abjured the orthodox. A maverick who reviled all convention and searched for a music that authentically reflected experience, Debussy balked at entering any situation--salons, musical societies, or factions--that would categorize and thus distort him. Because of this, music lovers still argue over the degree to which Debussy's music is Impressionist, symbolist, or even French. Aptly, the volume's editor reads Debussy's last works as a dialogue with himself that reflects his inherently pluralistic, paradoxical, negotiated, and ever-changing identity. William Austin's description of Debussy as ''one of the most original and adventurous musicians who ever lived'' is often repeated. This book illustrates how right Austin was and shows why Debussy's unclassifiable art continues to fascinate and perplex his historians even as it enthralls new listeners. The contributors are Leon Botstein, Christophe Charle, John Clevenger, Jane F. Fulcher, David Grayson, Brian Hart, Gail Hilson-Woldu, and Marie Rolf.