Some pedaling marks at the bottom if these pages were cut off. Book 2 was started in late 1912 and finished in april 19. But presumably it must have drawn attention to his new debussy recording, which neatly fits both books of. Claude debussy was born in saintgermainenlaye, france, 22 august 1862, the eldest of five children. One of the easiest pieces in this collection is the girl with the flaxen hair, around a level 9. This blog is dedicated to discussion of the performance of the piano pieces of claude debussy. The music becomes more dramatic toward the end of the set. He was too good a composer to imitate debussy, although there are a few examples of direct influence it. My personal journey through the 24 debussy preludes. Art music in the twentieth century encompasses a wide range of expression, forms, and media. Debussy s book of preludes is some of his most wellknown and last works for solo piano. That this was general we can to some extent see from the sales figures quoted by roy howat. Book i was written between december 1909 and february 1910, and book ii between the last months of 1912 and early april 19.
If you use and like, thank you to consider support donation. This project aims to facilitate the learning process of the preludes for piano by. 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. Debussy s music virtually defines the transition from lateromantic music to twentieth century modernist music. Claude debussy 18621918 was a 20thcentury french composer and one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music. I have one other schirmer debussy piano book and this compilation book was what led me to purchase this set of preludes. Debussy preludes, book 1 by claude debussy 18621918. A good recording of the debussy preludes should feel like an occasion, and steven osborne delivers. Three years exist between the publication of the first and second book, with the former appearing in 1910. The paperback of the complete preludes, books 1 and 2. The piano music of claude debussy by paul roberts jstor. The purpose of this thesis is to discuss and give a descriptive analysis of twelve of the twentyfour preludes written by claude debussy. Ilya itin, piano this video was recorded at the golandsky institute international piano festival at princeton university.
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. With so many interpretations of debussy committed to recordings including a few by the composer himself it can be hard to find the good stuff. The works in debussys second book of preludes are similar in intent to those of book i 1907 1910. Claude debussy was born on the 22nd august 1862 in saintgermainenlaye, france. Helpful english translations of french terms as well as debussy s performance. 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. A different approach to analysis of claude debussys music with examples from. A stylistic analysis of the piano works of debussy and ravel thesis presented to the graduate council of the north texas state teachers college in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of music by elizabeth rose jameson, b. Now, these happen to be among the requisites necessary to play debussys preludes in the right frame of mind lets not speak about that woolly notion called style. Adopting the major piano works including the preludes, bartok absorbed the liberated message as deeply as he absorbed the idiom of the hungarian peasant.
Find upcoming concerts, watch performances, and learn more about the music. Claude debussy s preludes are 24 pieces for solo piano, divided into two books of 12 preludes each. Impressionism piano sheet music by claude debussy to download and print instantly. Unlike other collections of preludes by great composers, debussys do not follow a strict pattern of key signature. Debussy preludes book 2 free downloadable sheet music. Though separated by four decades, stockhausens definition of moment. It consists in a series of 24 short pieces, equally subdivided into two books. Here in his first debussy recording for hyperion he presents the two books of images. For 20 years we provide a free and legal service for free sheet music without asking you anything in exchange. Not only is the title full of mystery, but the piece itself leaves the listener in awe and wonder.
These compositions, while endearing themselves to both pianist and. In fact, simply holding the tenuti longer, as their definition requires, will naturally. These compositions, while endearing themselves to both pianist and listener, also occupy an important place in musical. Sep 29, 2009 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. My analysis of canope debussy preludes for piano, book ii. Both books 1 and 2 of debussys popular piano preludes are contained in this one sturdy volume. Im only an amateur pianist, but have been playing debussy s 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.
Helpful english translations of french terms as well as debussys performance. Well, debussy obviously agreed but that didnt stop him putting his own stamp on the genre. Complete preludes, books 1 and 2 dover music for piano. Complete your debussy, walter gieseking collection. Voiles music score from preludes book 1 debussy, claude at imslp notes on voiles on.
Debussy began book 1 in december 1909, finishing it 2 months later in february 1910. In 1880, tchaikovsky commented on one of debussys early pieces. The first book of preludes is slightly easier than the second, since the second collection features debussy s more mature writing style. The musical language of bach in the welltempered clavier volume 2. Not only is the title full of mystery, but the piece. Claude debussy was a leading composer of the early 20th century known for his impressionistic style and use of nontraditional scales and tonalities as well as chromaticism. 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. The 20 essential debussy recordings wqxr blog wqxr. It is meant to depict an ancient egyptian city and egyptian burial urns. Unlike chopins, bachs and many other composers homonymous series, these pieces arent sorted by key signature. This significant compilation of 12 preludes represents debussys mature writing style and is filled with a great diversity of compositional styles.
His playing seeps with atmosphere and he delves deep into the composers sound world. The paradox is that debussy succeeded in a series of piano works starting with estampes in 1903 and culminating in the two books of preludes in 1910 and 1912 respectively in creating what can only be called an impressionist technique. A descriptive analysis of the preludes book 1 of claude. The title of the piece may be translated to english as either veils or sails.
It is a very descriptive book where all the formal, structural, harmonic and contextual analysis of the work can be found. 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. His father, manuelachille debussy, owned a shop where he sold china and crockery and his mother, victorine manoury debussy, was a seamstress. The titles of the preludes are written at the end of each work, thus allowing the performer to. The naxos disc is a great disappointment in this respect, because the sound is recessed, and you are conscious the whole time of a big grand piano which sounds as if it. This significant compilation of 12 preludes represents debussy s mature writing style and is filled with a great diversity of compositional styles. Interpreting discontinuity in the late works of debussy columbias. Maurizio pollini dg the more suggestive the music, the more diverse the ways it can be understood.
Several of them look ahead to debussys later style, in which the composers earlier impressionistic, almost romantic poetry was supplanted by a greater concentration upon technique and neoclassical objectivity. The balance lies in the tonal definition and lack thereof. Although the composer did not think the preludes should be performed as a cycle, book two is perfectly symmetrical with two showpieces at the start and end on the twelve pieces. But where bach and chopin used their preludes as something of a technical exercise, composing one for each musical key, debussys were freeform and full of his signature expressive indulgences. Theyre both still quite the challenge for advanced players only. But the piano playing is superbly brilliant and precise, and the more energetic pieces, like no. Aug 19, 2016 the composer who benefited most from this liberation was bartok, who was introduced to debussys music by kodaly in 1907. A descriptive analysis of the preludes book i of claude debussy thesis presented. In the preludes, the instrument should dissolve as we are drawn into a fathomless imaginative world of evocations beyond it. As he plays debussys book 1 preludes, you notice how effortlessly his arms, hands, and fingers are choreographed to the music. The easiest debussy piano pieces and the most difficult. My analysis of canope debussy preludes for piano, book. Debussys book of preludes is some of his most wellknown and last works for solo piano.
Along with maurice ravel, he was 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. Maurizio pollinis main qualities as an artist are neither humor nor abundance of keyboard color. Nattiezbased motivic study of the andante provides. L numbers are also given from lesures original 1977 catalogue.
This paper also includes a brief history of preludes as well as possible influences upon debussy and his compositions. Debussys music virtually defines the transition from lateromantic music to twentieth century modernist music. Unlike some notable collections of preludes from prior times, such as chopins op. Musical analysis as a technique for performance decisions in selected. In french literary circles, the style of this period was known as symbolism, a movement that directly inspired debussy both as a composer and as an active cultural participant. But presumably it must have drawn attention to his new debussy recording, which neatly fits both books of piano preludes on to a single disc. Playing debussys piano works an amateurs thoughts about. The article is about the first prelude for piano in book 2. Debussys do not follow a strict pattern of key signature. Complete preludes, books 1 and 2 dover music for piano debussy, claude on. The twentyfour preludes of debussy are published in two books of twelve preludes each. These compositions, while endearing themselves to both. As for his piano compositions, after he completed the second book of preludes the only. Debussys colouristic masterpiece, a bewitching compendium of scents, colours and sounds.
The music expresses a vast repertoire of emotions, colors and moods. Claude debussys preludes are 24 pieces for solo piano, divided into two books of 12 preludes each. He is sometimes seen as the first impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. Dressed in a chic tan turtleneck, untucked, but with a belt clasped around it, arturo benedetti michelangeli sits at the piano in an intimate studio in october, 1978. Despite the research i have done regarding the title, the results i have found are still only speculation.
There have been other orchestrations of debussy piano works, so he would have liked someone to. Osteen, william timothy, analysis and interpretation. It is the second piece in a set of twelve preludes published in 1910. My point here stems from definition two of table 1. Claude debussy composed the second book of preludes during 1910 12. Prelude 10, titled canope in his book of preludes no. There is throughout the sense of going on a journey, even awe, to osbornes interpretations. Dovers book of debussy preludes is made of extremely high quality print on heavier paper than usual. Voiles is a composition by claude debussy for solo piano from 1909.
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