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Celebrating 50 years on FM 91.5
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In celebration of the 40th anniversary of WXXI-FM Classical 91.5 (in 2014), we asked you to help us celebrate. Beginning Tuesday, April 15th, we played your top 40 favorite classical works on air throughout the day, and posted more information about your favorites right here on this page. Learn more about each work that you chose as your top 40 favorites on Classical 91.5.

#30 Claude Debussy

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun

Premiered in Paris in December of 1894, Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun was inspired by L'Apres-midi d'un Faune,? a poem by French poet Stéphane Mallarmé?. In order to reflect the veiled nature of Mallarmé's poem, Debussy used many novel musical ideas which barely retain the musical practices of his day. These musical choices lead many, including Pierre Boulez, to consider the work to be the first piece of Modern music. Debussy would later use the work as the basis for a ballet which was choreographed and performed by renowned dancer Vaslav Nijinsky?.  ??

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