Evolving performance practice of debussys piano preludes. I bought these recently on cd, because i gave away my lps when i moved into a manhattan apartment. Our fingers exist to recreate this marvellous realm of fancy. Claude debussys painterly preludes the subtle, elusive quality of debussys twentyfour preludes is captured perfectly by pianist paul jacobs, who plays them with a tolling, belllike sound. Complete preludes, books 1 and 2 dover music for piano paperback april 1, 1989 by claude debussy author 4.
Ive learned to be careful about pronouncing a performance as definitive. The paperback of the complete preludes, books 1 and 2. Complete preludes, books 1 and 2 dover music for piano. But the piano playing is superbly brilliant and precise, and the more energetic pieces, like no. Order from your preferred classical music cd store arkivmusic. Complete preludes, books 1 and 2 dover music for piano claude debussy. Minstrels youtube the transformative power of classical music benjamin zander. Another critic wrote that book 2 of the preludes is played more successfully than book 1.
Soyoung choe performs excerpts from debussys preludes, book 1. Publication date 1910 topics preludes, for piano, scores featuring the piano, for 1 player collection imslp. My personal journey through the 24 debussy preludes. There is no proof that debussy necessarily intended the preludes to be performed as a cycle, although the musical language throughout each book is so consistent that performers often do so. This paper also includes a brief history of preludes as well as possible influences upon debussy and his compositions.
The first book 1910 proved to be his most successful work. Im only an amateur pianist, but have been playing debussys piano works since the late 70s. Debussy played nos 1, 2, 10 and 11 at a concert on 5 may and we know that all of them, apart possibly from no 7, were heard in paris over the next ten months. Orchestral reimaginings of debussys piano pieces which are entertaining, intriguing and very satisfying. No complaints about any of this cd, for that matter. Debussy preludes, book 1 by claude debussy 18621918. Debussys two books of preludes amount to a revolution in piano writing, and reflect better that any of his other works the span of debussys achievement. He was too good a composer to imitate debussy, although there are a few. There are evocations of calm seascapes, delicate wind tracery, and snowcovered landscapes.
Preludes, book 1 6 epigraphes antiques en blanc et noir robert and gaby casadesus 1956 ns 0105. In these pages ill try to summarize what references i have on the performance of. Debussy preludes, bk 1 by claude debussy, paperback. Not only is the title full of mystery, but the piece. Some pedaling marks at the bottom if these pages were cut off. My analysis of canope debussy preludes for piano, book. The game was originally planned to not have any music in the game until the games composer, dan golding. A descriptive analysis of the preludes book 1 of claude. Maybe i am a lazy pianist but i like editions that have some fingering suggestions so i dont have so.
They were composed and published in two books of twelve. See all 9 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The girl with the flaxen hair is almost a plain jane here, and the sounds and scents of the evening scarcely linger as impalpable impressions. Among the most important 20th century composers, and the most influential. Debussy in the milieu of symbolism and ineffability of. The purpose of this thesis is to discuss and give a descriptive analysis of twelve of the twentyfour preludes written by claude debussy. As he plays debussys book 1 preludes, you notice how effortlessly his arms, hands, and fingers are choreographed to the music. According to oxford music online, he started composing the first book of preludes in the late months of 1909, during his travels in britain, and completed. Unlike some notable collections of preludes from prior times, such as chopins op. After sonatas by beethoven and chopin, a disc of schumann and magisterial accounts of the two brahms piano concertos comes this recital of debussy centred on the first book of preludes. Unlike other collections of preludes by great composers, debussy s do not follow a strict pattern of key signature. This blog is dedicated to discussion of the performance of the piano pieces of claude debussy. I enjoy playing them, ive got them firmly in my fingers, but i feel no need to record them.
Recorded live during the marion rubin berman 31 piano honors concert april 12, 2012 in necs jordan hall in boston. Like vladimir horowitz and glenn gould, michelangeli employs a relatively flatfingered technique for sustained legato passages and certain rotary arpeggios such as those in ce qua vu le vent douest. I have one other schirmer debussy piano book and this compilation book was what led me to purchase this set of preludes. Like book 1, each piece was composed with the intention of being an individual piece, representing a visual. Claude debussys preludes are 24 pieces for solo piano, divided into two books of 12 preludes. Claude debussy s preludes are 24 pieces for solo piano, divided into two books of 12 preludes each. The esoteric style of writing in both books was in accordance with the nature of. Debussy preludes, book 1 download free sheet music. Preludes, book 2 another collection of 12 pieces composed as tone poems. I had not heard any of these pieces until i purchased this set, but all are wonderful. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. When we were playing schumann fantasiestuck opus 73 no.
While the solo piano version of debussys preludes will always. Dates for book ii are harder to come by, but the volume was published almost exactly three years after the first, on 19 april 19. Often dubbed a musical impressionist, but his music always has a strong sense of form. The sound of the preludes, book1 is less satisfactory the piano seems closer and the sound can get a bit glassy. Debussys piano pieces require deep thought and understanding.
From the delphic dancers of the first prelude to the explosive fireworks that end the second book, each debussy prelude immerses us in a separate and distinct world. Claude debussy s preludes are two sets of pieces for solo piano, written in 1910 10 and 1912, and published as book i and ii respectively. 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. This project aims to facilitate the learning process of the preludes for piano by. This album contains the preludes, books 1 and 2 by debussy, presented by piano classics, a label of brilliant classics. I was very taken indeed with that disc so im delighted that the remainder of.
He felt no overwhelming need to do so, but a desire to record them gradually imposed itself upon him. This was the first collection of debussys preludes i ever owned and i have yet to hear another that surpasses it. Musical analysis as a technique for performance decisions in. Topflight debussy preludes march 23, 2019 by joseph f. There is no proof that debussy necessarily intended the preludes to be performed as a cycle, although the. Despite the research i have done regarding the title, the results i have found are still only speculation. One of debussy s 24 preludes is from book 1, prelude 12, also known as minstrels.
645 80 151 1047 1126 417 41 738 84 776 1513 1101 1017 835 1454 1389 1589 696 950 65 521 1292 467 19 403 1252 765 42