Debussy: La Mer (L 109)

Debussy's La Mer – "The Sea" – seems a literal title and description of the piece, but he also called it "Trois esquises symphoniques" – Three Symphonic Sketches. What did Debussy mean by that and how much does it tell us about the kind of music that Debussy was writing? Stephen Johnson explores the depths of La Mer assisted by members of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Kenneth Woods.