A guide to Debussy's Preludes: Introduction to his music for all levels!
Debussy's 24 Preludes are a perfect introduction to his music and style. They encompass so many different styles and characters with a wonderful variety of difficulty! These pieces are good for beginners and advanced players alike! Tune in today to hear about which preludes you might like to start with, and interesting aspects!
Find the start time in your time zone by clicking the photo or following this event link:
https://app.tonebase.co/piano/live/player/debussy-preludes-overview-dominic
We are going to be using this thread to gather suggestions and questions!
- What questions do you have on this topic?
- Any particular area you would like me to focus on?
-
Thanks Dominic I hope to join this one! I've been playing Debussy all month even though I didn't have time to submit videos for the challenge but had a specific question about the use of sostenuto pedal in Debussy.
I've found many instances where it seems impossible to play the music as written without using the sostenuto pedal. To provide an example applicable to this live stream in the very first Prelude bar 11 there is the figure below. "Catching" the F in the bass without including the right hand G octave is tricky but it makes a nice effect I think to be able to sustain the F...
Do you use the sostenuto pedal effect often in Debussy?
-
I've played Golliwog's Cakewalk and some others from that suite, but it's been years since I've done it.
-
It is such a delight to watch these LiveStreams! I am grateful that they are archived!
Debussy - such gorgeous preludes!
The Alfred Sisley painting was interesting. I enjoy his work immensely. I never knew that it was the one that inspired Debussy's "Footprints in the Snow." I loved learning about the connections/inspiration for Debussy: Mussorgsky, Literature, Poetry, Art.
It is very intriguing that Debussy assigns the titles at the end in parentheses.
I appreciate the photos and the recordings that you employ, Dominic, to enhance our understanding. They enrich the lessons.
Here is the lovely poem by Charles-Marie-René Leconte de Lisle (originally written in French):
The girl with the flaxen hair
English Translation © Richard Stokes
Seated among the flowering alfalfa,
who is singing in the cool morning?
It is the girl with the flaxen hair,
the beauty with the cherry lips.
Love, in the clear summer sun,
has sung with the lark.
Your mouth has heavenly colours,
my love, and invites kisses!
Would you like to converse on the flowering grass,
O long-lashed girl with the delicate curls?
Love, in the clear summer sun,
has sung with the lark.
Do not say no, cruel girl!
Do not say yes! I would sooner listen
to the long look of your wide-open eyes
and your delicate mouth, O my love!
Farewell to the deer, farewell to the hares
and the russet partridges! I want
to kiss your blonde hair,
press the purple of your lips!
Love, in the clear summer sun,
has sung with the lark.
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Thank you, Dominic! Thank you, everyone!
