The work was inspired by a poem by Mallarmé which describes a faun (a Roman rural deity) drowsing in the hot afternoon sunshine, never entirely sure whether the seductive nymphs who satisfy his desires are real creatures or dreamed. Debussy’s wonderful orchestration, the focus of constant changes that occur in virtually every bar, perfectly captures the lazy stillness of the poem; strings generally remain in the background whilst the woodwind are prominent, with horns and harps providing sharp moments of instrumental colour.

Formally the piece is interesting for its innovative use of variation technique, involving a series of seventeen passages based on the same fundamental shape; a direct descent in predominantly stepwise motion followed by a rapid ascent to the original tonality centre. Except for the original and final statements, the descent is always harmonised by two chords, one for each of the boundary pitches.

Not surprisingly, the work has exerted a fascination for dancers over the years. Nijinsky first choreographed and danced it for the Ballets Russes in 1912, and among the many later versions have been Serge Lifar’s, in the form of a solo dance, and a celebrated version by Jerome Robbins for the New York City Ballet.