"Jane Bathori was a catalyst for as well as interpreter of the works of many French composers. In 1904, she met Claude Debussy, played some of his piano pieces for him and sang several of his songs. Their discussions were the basis for her 1953 book, On the Interpretation of the Melodies of Claude Debussy which she resolved to write "after having heard Debussy's intentions betrayed so many times, and also to encourage singers ... to study some of the songs which are not known and are never sung, the excuse being that they are so difficult to interpret" (from Bathori's opening)."--BOOK JACKET.