I can do just as good a water nymph as you in fewer notes. And here in his latest album he subdues his legendary, transcendent technique to convey debussys very essence with a surpassing ease and naturalness. Sep 29, 2006 claudio arrau considered it to be one of debussys greatest preludes and said its miraculous that he created, in so few notes, this kind of depth. In a similar way, the society became a steppingstone in the careers of many younger composers, including claude debussy and after him maurice ravel. Debussys piano pieces require deep thought and understanding. I spent some of this year trying different composers, to widen my technique, and while i did benefit from playing bach and mozart i didnt really enjoy it, i struggled to get the performance beyond mediocre because i just didnt care. Shop and buy the french piano collection 48 pieces by chaminade, couperin, debussy, faure, ravel, and satie sheet music. Having spent more than half a century with the great beaux arts trio, menahem pressler has enjoyed a balmy indian summer as a solo. To debussy, preludes were the musical equivalent of impressionistic painting. As edward lockspeiser writes, these songs provide the most moving revelations of the hedonistic, pagan art of debussy, a reminder that the antique grace and splendour of the. The most substantial and revelatory thing however is the performance of debussy s book 1 preludes from the jerusalem radio concert.
Like images book i, book ii begins with two slow movements. Book i was written between december 1909 and february 1910, and book ii. These compositions, while endearing themselves to both pianist and listener, also occupy an important place in musical. Three years exist between the publication of the first and second book, with the former appearing in 1910. Canope preludes, book ii, 19 playing debussys piano. Often dubbed a musical impressionist, but his music always has a. The pavane, one of the most popular works by french composer gabriel faure, exists.
Debussy described his prelude to the afternoon of a faun as a very. Debussy may have contributed the last important evolution to the prelude. While in an opera or ballet, a prelude may be a mood setting introduction to. The rolls that survive are of the romance sans paroles no 3, barcarolle no 1, prelude no 3, nocturne no 3, theme et variations, valsescaprices nos 1, 3 and 4, and piano versions of the pavane, and the sicilienne from faures music for pelleas and melisande. Free sheet music l 117, debussy, claude preludes, book 1. Maybe debussy, who distrusted prolixity and technical brilliance, was saying. Tircis, aminte, clitandre, and damis are all pastoral names in keeping with the outdoor theme of the poem. The first book 1910 proved to be his most successful work. Playing debussys piano works an amateurs thoughts about.
Debussys literary inspirations were mostly french, but he did not overlook foreign writers. He was too good a composer to imitate debussy, although there are a few examples of direct influence it was. Hence, we find not only a great many sound pictures throughout his music, but no fewer than three groups of pieces actually entitled images, each a triptych in itself. Both books 1 and 2 of debussy s popular piano preludes are contained in this one sturdy volume. Gifted from his early years with a preternatural and keen understanding of writing for the piano, this cd displays debussys prodigious gifts in full display as rendered by baldis sensitive playing. Canope preludes, book ii, 19 playing debussys piano works. Order from your preferred classical music cd store arkivmusic.
Five of the dreamier preludes from debussys book 1 sit at the heart of the program and are a joy. Debussy rather admired english sangfroid those were the days, but was not beyond giving it the occasional dig in the ribs, as here in his. Poissons dor, from images, book ii meiting sun piano. But where bach and chopin used their preludes as something of a technical exercise, composing one for each musical key, debussy s were freeform and full of his signature expressive indulgences. Preludes, book 1 6 epigraphes antiques en blanc et noir robert and gaby casadesus 1956 ns 0105. Debussy was one of the first 20th century composers to use nontraditional scales and reject conventional harmony by exploring the use of parallel chords and hinting at tonal centres rather preludes sticking with a definitive key. His piano works include two books of preludes and two of etudes. Preludes books 1 and 2 piano solo sheet music schirmer. These beautiful french works are a must for all pianists. Debussy, a lifelong admirer of verlaines poetry, had taken a copy of the collection with him when he went to study in rome in 1885.
Book ii was composed between late 1912 and april of 19. Each book contains twelve preludes for the piano, many of them known to todays musical audiences because of their great popularity with pianists worldwide. Here, in one volume, are two bodies of work that, perhaps more than any others, reveal the essence of claude debussy s extraordinary expressiveness and his innovative gifts for musical imagery. But thats not what we get in debussys two 12strong books of preludes. I had not heard any of these pieces until i purchased this set, but all are wonderful. Claude debussy h18621918 by the time he began writing the first book of preludes, claude debussy had established himself as an important and prolific composer having already produced most of the works that history would label masterpieces. Some pedaling marks at the bottom if these pages were cut off.
The most important early example of the prelude being exemplified in the forty eight preludes and fugues of books i and ii of the well tempered clavier of bach, where the prelude served to establish the tonal center of the fugue that followed it. Dovers book of debussy preludes is made of extremely high quality print on heavier paper than usual. Several of these rolls have been transferred to cd. Like book 1, each piece was composed with the intention of being an individual piece, representing a visual. Each book was written in a matter of months, at an. Claude debussy s preludes are 24 pieces for solo piano, divided into two books of 12 preludes each. The purpose of this thesis is to discuss and give a descriptive analysis of twelve of the twentyfour preludes written by claude debussy. Well, debussy obviously agreed but that didnt stop him putting his own stamp on the genre. I would suggest that each book of the preludes be listened to separately. Aug 19, 2016 the composer who benefited most from this liberation was bartok, who was introduced to debussys music by kodaly in 1907. Each book was written in a matter of months, at an unusually fast pace for debussy. Here in his first debussy recording for hyperion he presents the two books of images. This paper also includes a brief history of preludes as well as possible influences upon debussy and his compositions. The pierpont morgan library music manuscript reprint series.
The form of the keyboard prelude research online uow. The position of gabriel faure in the contemporary musical. After the intermission, ivan gusev presented a set of debussy preludes. Debussy s colouristic masterpiece, a bewitching compendium of scents, colours and sounds. Lisle joyeuse i love pictures images almost as much as music, debussy once wrote.
Breiner for orchestra debussy completed his two books of preludes in 1910 and 19 respectively, and they contain some of his most visionary and poetic writing for piano. Two excerpts from the emperor concerto, showing beethovens use of uneven groups of notes. Notes of debussy, ravel and faure charlotte symphony. The composer who benefited most from this liberation was bartok, who was introduced to debussy s music by kodaly in 1907. Mar 09, 2018 he hasnt lost his touch, and though the pieces may often appear simpletheyre the kind of things budding pianists playtheyre rarely given with this kind of artistry, drawn of a lifetime at the keyboard. Stephen porter reveals debussys preludes the boston. Among the most important 20th century composers, and the most influential. Debussy was the composer who freed western music from the claustrophobic confines of functional harmony, the set of rules that for 300 years had governed which chords fit best with which others according to how well their bass notes got along. He was one of the most important figures in music at the turn of the 20th century. He was a truly innovative composer and his works assisted in new ideas that developed 20th century composition. Program notes debussy and chausson philadelphia orchestra. Roy howats editions of debussy piano music for the.
Claudio arrau considered it to be one of debussy s greatest preludes and said its miraculous that he created, in so few notes, this kind of depth. Debussy rather admired english sangfroid again, those were the days, but was not beyond giving it the occasional dig in the ribs, as here in. It demonstrates yet again what an outstanding exponent katz was, and of a wide variety of music from the refinement of his bach to the bravura of his read more khachaturian and all stops in between. The 20 essential debussy recordings wqxr blog wqxr. In these pages ill try to summarize what references i have on the performance of. I provide the original scanned version and the filtered, because the filter does some changes smoothening, sharpening borders and some portions of the scan get lost sometimes when they are too small e. Claude debussy, nocturnes and mandoline the choral. He gave introductory comments about each of the preludes before playing each book on each half of the program, in this, his eighth appearance on the frederick collections series last sunday. Debussy, ravel, faure, chabrier roy howat an essential resource for scholars and performers, this study by a worldrenowned specialist illuminates the piano music of four major french composers, in comparative and reciprocal context. Preludes, book 2 another collection of 12 pieces composed as tone poems.
He was too good a composer to imitate debussy, although there are a few examples of direct influence it. The preludes use postscripts rather than titles, and the etudes are labeled with practical description. The next two preludes take us abroad for the last time. A descriptive analysis of the preludes book 1 of claude debussy. Original poster 1 point 1 year ago thats fantastic, thank you. Debussy s piano pieces require deep thought and understanding. Not only are 24 short works a great deal to take in at one time, but there are some stylistic differences between them also. Jun 04, 2012 stephen porter christopher greenleaf photo stephen porter has a thorough knowledge of and clear affinity for claude debussys preludes.
This piano piece was initially published in the year 1908 and is included in preludes by debussy. His compositions for piano, written between the 1860s and the 1920s, include some of his best known works. Music for relaxation, reliance and relief 10,533,468 views 1. Four pieces are on the program for this first weekend in april. A descriptive analysis of the preludes book 1 of claude debussy showing 1 4 of 68 pages in this thesis. Claude debussy s painterly preludes the subtle, elusive quality of debussy s twentyfour preludes is captured perfectly by pianist paul jacobs, who plays them with a tolling, belllike sound.
Both books 1 and 2 of debussys popular piano preludes are contained in this one sturdy volume. With so many interpretations of debussy committed to recordings including. Im only an amateur pianist, but have been playing debussy s piano works since the late 70s. As for his piano compositions, after he completed the second book of preludes the only. Cross and biographical notes on the performers in english 7 pages inserted in container. Debussy s most dramatic contribution to music history was his disregard for traditional chord structures and tonality. Im only an amateur pianist, but have been playing debussys piano works since the late 70s. The beams on even the 32nd notes are very easy to distinguish many printers do not get such a high resolution and the spaces between 2 or 3 beams are often poorly defined resulting in fat black patches instead of distinct lines. For him, personal idiosyncrasy or impediment a determination to be different at all costs would affront debussys genius, and so he offers profoundly expressive yet lucid and. There are evocations of calm seascapes, delicate wind tracery, and snowcovered landscapes. Apr 03, 2014 unlike previous collections of preludes, such as those of j.
The notes to the present collection describe literary or pictorial associations intended by debussy. Bach and chopin, debussy s do not follow a strict pattern of key signatures. This blog is dedicated to discussion of the performance of the piano pieces of claude debussy. Unlike some notable collections of preludes from prior times, such as chopins op. Preludes books 1 and 2 paperback april 1, 1999 by claude debussy composer 4. Preludes book 2 debussy preludes, opus 32 rachmaninoff by lawrence budmen while an entire concert of preludes may seem repetitive at first glance, the term had a very different meaning to various composers. Debussys two books of preludes were composed between late 1909 and 19. Mindru katz plays french masterworks faure, debussy, ravel. A descriptive analysis of the preludes book 1 of claude. Debussy preludes, book 1 by claude debussy 18621918.
His second book of preludes published in 19 consists of twelve generous vignettes painted in a pastel kaleidoscope of pianistic colors. Debussy s two books of preludes amount to a revolution in piano writing, and reflect better that any of his other works the span of debussy s achievement. Volume one, containing his first twenty songs, need not detain us long. Debussys piano prelude the sunken cathedral, based on the medieval legend. Nature was central to debussy s artistic aesthetic. Along with maurice ravel, he is considered one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions. Complete preludes, books 1 and 2 dover music for piano.
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