The Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune together with the orchestral Images are among Claude Debussy’s best known and most popular compositions. Both works show different sides of the composer: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune is a textbook example of musical impressionism, while about the Images, the composer himself said that his goal was to “try to achieve something different – an effect of reality”.

The scores contrast well with the two Rhapsodies: the one for clarinet, called the "first" Rhapsody, was sketched out within a few weeks at the end of 1909, while the "second" Rhapsody for saxophone was only completed and orchestrated after the death of its author.

The Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (SWR) and conductor Heinz Holliger manage to bring out with precision the evocative, dynamic colours and peculiarities to be found in all of these works.