Claude debussys use of the tritone the book of threes. Images and the two books of piano preludes whose titles tend to be more concrete and descriptive. The piece is 39 measures long and takes approximately two and a. Five of the dreamier preludes from debussy s book 1 sit at the heart of the program and are a joy. Cloches a travers les feuilles from images book 11, bars 15.
The one clear fault of the osborne recording is dynamic extremes, which is, i assume, an engineering decision. The first book of preludes is slightly easier than the second, since the second collection features debussy s more mature writing style. It is a typical example of his impressionist composition style, impressionism in this case meaning a type of program music which aimed to evoke moods and impressions through tone colour and harmony. This week is dedicated to some of my favourite piano music, claude debussy s two books of preludes. Debussy preludesbook i 12 preludesintermissionbook ii 12 preludes for more than three decades, jeanyves thibaudet has performed worldwide, recorded more than 50 albums, and built a reputation as one of todays finest pianists. In serving the second of these two guidelines, the study examines performance tradition as it pertains to debussy s piano music, including historical performances of his contemporaries. These compositions, while endearing themselves to both pianist and listener, also occupy an important place in musical history and, like the preludes. Theyre both still quite the challenge for advanced players only. Books i and ii for solo piano dover music for piano. There are several works in which wholetone harmony plays an important role, such as cloches a travers les feuilles,i from images book 1 1905, and voiles, from preludes book 1 1909. Debussy kept one on his writing desk, and while the still opening of the prelude is suggestive of the objects solid physical state as opposed to being full of movement, like many of the other preludes, there is also a hint of the funerealof slow ceremonies, chants, and an inconclusive contemplation on death.
Walter gieseking, piano program notes on container preludes, books i and ii. This double cd contains a very generous collection of major debussy piano works including both books of preludes, pour the piano, estampes, both sets of images and childrens corner. Noriko ogawas debussy series continues with some of the bestknown and bestloved music debussy ever wrote. Included are english translations of french terms, debussy s performance. The music expresses a vast repertoire of emotions, colors and moods. Apr 11, 2021 jeanyves thibaudet has shifted into two sociallydistanced performances on april 11, 2021 at 12pm and 7.
A new album from marcandre hamelin is always cause for celebration. Debussy s 24 piano preludes were published in two sets in 1910 and 19. It is the eighth piece in the composers first book of preludes, written between late 1909 and early 1910. This will never be bettered in terms of interpretation. It is the eighth of the composers preludes, book i 19091910. The first book of preludes and, especially, childrens corner belong to those rare works which form part of the repertoire of both performers and happy amateurs. Debussy s autograph manuscripts available for both book i of the preludes and all of childrens corner except for no. Complete preludes, books 1 and 2 dover music for piano. Another critic wrote that book 2 of the preludes is played more successfully than book 1. They are played by the legendary walter gieseking and were recorded in 1953 and 1955 the preludes and 1954 the other works on the second cd. It comes from suite bergamasque, which debussy wrote in 1890 and revised 15 years later. Historic and current performances along with fascinating art and photographs will bring to life debussy s final 12 preludes, written before the outbreak of world war one.
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. Helpful english translations of french terms as well as debussy s performance. Ravel string quartet 1903, second movement score revision notes core wider listening 2. Orchestral reimaginings of debussy s piano pieces which are entertaining, intriguing and very satisfying. A complete preface describing compositional and performance notes on each piece is included along with a cd recorded by banowetz. This significant compilation of 12 preludes represents debussy s mature writing style and is filled with a great diversity of compositional styles. Preludes, book ii sviatoslav richter, piano composers. In the three pieces published as images, book ii, one is reminded of this famous line from the poem ars poetica by paul verlaine, one of debussy s favorite poets. Without any intention of typecasting you, i had put you more on the side of the german classicists and romantics and, in any event, on the side of the.
News pristine classical 3 may 20 walter gieseking plays. A habanera rhythm is consistently heard in the left. 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. The term ballade had originally denoted a form of poetic narrative in medieval and renaissance french poetry. The techniques of impressionism in the preludes of claude debussy. Musical analysis as a technique for performance decisions in. Claude debussy s preludes are 24 pieces for solo piano, divided into two books of 12 preludes each. His second book of preludes published in 19 consists of twelve generous vignettes painted in a pastel kaleidoscope of pianistic colors. This project showcases contemporary reworks of the music of the two revolutionary french composers, debussy and rameau, that olafsson released earlier this year. I have to confess that the choice of repertoire took me somewhat aback. One of the easiest pieces in this collection is the girl with the flaxen hair, around a. Also recorded here is the second book of preludes, in a poetic and evocative performance.
Russell sherman piano chopin, debussy instantencore. Here in his first debussy recording for hyperion he presents the two books of images. Following the xundamentum was the buxheim organ book of 1475. Program notes today, claude debussy needs no introduction. Debussy s search for a new musical language to convey his musical ideas resulted in a unique approach to melody, harmony, and tonality.
The enigma, and the preludes the more one learns about claude debussy, the more the enigma grows a composer who revered bach and mozart, yet ultimately eschewed teutonic formalism witness his condemnation of beethovens opus 1 quartet in a letter to pierre louys, dated 2 221895. Feb 24, 2021 susan waterfall is back, with book two of debussy s preludes for piano, which will provide you with all of the above. 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. In serving the second of these two guidelines, the study examines performance tradition as it pertains to debussy s piano music, including historical performances of. With standard notation, introductory text and performance notes does not include words to the songs. 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. Sold by good knight books and ships from amazon fulfillment. Prelude and fugue in csharp minor bach 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. If you want just book 2 or both books played by one pianist you can do no better than roy howat tall poppies tp 164 and tp 123 which forms part of his complete recording of debussy s piano music. Unlike other collections of preludes by great composers, debussy s do not follow a strict pattern of key signature. This collection contains, among other things, thirty preludes which show definite advancement over those by ileborgh by being more extended and better developed, as can be seen in figure 2. On this cd we hear eight preludes, drawn from both books, plus two debussy pieces taken from his other suites and collections. A different approach to analysis of claude debussy s music with examples from preludes, books 1 and 2, masters thesis, university of cincinnati, 2005, 4.
Debussy preludes book ii richter aldeburgh 67 youtube. Dec 04, 2019 the french record companys first release is a limited to 200 copies edition of a never before released but should have been 1958 recording of pianist marcelle meyer playing a debussy program recorded for the les discophiles francais label df 211212. Close for over 20 years we have provided legal access to free sheet music without asking anything in return. This is the paperback edition based on the hardbound complete works of claude debussy. The title is in french and translates roughly to the girl with the flaxen hair. Fine examples of these are the preludes and the childrens corner. Program notes for lawren brianna wares junior piano recital. To debussy, preludes were the musical equivalent of impressionistic painting. Extension of christoffel duality to christoffel conjugates, and the characterization of the ionian mode via divider incidence and sturmian standardicity. Complete preludes, books 1 and 2 dover music for piano debussy, claude. This brings us to the ideal moment to talk about your latest venture into the album, with book 1 of debussy s preludes. While in an opera or ballet, a prelude may be a mood setting introduction to.
Each book contains twelve preludes for the piano, many of them known to todays musical audiences because of their great popularity with pianists worldwide. In addition, perhaps because debussy s style is so prone to mannerism. Debussy kept one on his writing desk, and while the still opening of the prelude is suggestive of the objects solid physical state as opposed to being full of movement, like many of the other preludes, there is also a hint of the funerealof slow ceremonies. Nature was central to debussy s artistic aesthetic. Lisle joyeuse i love pictures images almost as much as music, debussy once wrote. My personal journey through the 24 debussy preludes. The next two preludes take us abroad for the last time. Claude debussy the girl with the flaxen hair prelude 8. The two pieces by claude debussy chosen for this program share the ambience of a habanera.
Maybe debussy, who distrusted prolixity and technical brilliance, was saying. Chorale preludes johann sebastian bach 1 clarinet concerto op. Debussy s colouristic masterpiece, a bewitching compendium of scents, colours and sounds. The works in debussy s second book of preludes 191019 are similar in intent to those of book i 19071910. The form of the keyboard prelude research online uow. Unlike some notable collections of preludes from prior times, such as chopins op.
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. Claude debussy s preludes are two sets of pieces for solo piano, written in 191010 and 1912, and published as book i and ii respectively. I was very taken indeed with that disc so im delighted that the remainder of the. Debussy, preludes, book 1, number 2, sails, 1910 paul jacobs. Sylvia wang plays debussy northwestern bienen school of. I can do just as good a water nymph as you in fewer notes. Faculty pianist sylvia wang performs claude debussy s preludes, book 2. This is the ultimate source for these beloved piano preludes by debussy, in a newly engraved and researched critical edition from durand, the original publisher of this music. Three years exist between the publication of the first and second book, with the former appearing in 1910.
The twentyfour preludes of debussy are published in two books of twelve preludes each. Several of them look ahead to debussy s later style, in which the composers earlier impressionistic, almost romantic poetry was supplanted by a greater concentration upon technique and neoclassical objectivity. 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. Theres plenty of room between staves to write notes o. Pictorial and literary evocations in the programmatic music. Marcelle meyer plays debussy is french record companys. This volume contains 12 famous works by debussy as edited and performed by joseph banowetz. The two sets of images for piano take us to a higher level of abstraction. I wanted to explore certain works from fresh perspectives, to reimagine them and invite other composers to rework elements of these extraordinary pieces.
His influence on the music of the 20th century parallels beethovens impact on both the 18th and 19th centuries and beyond. These miniatures are varied in character and style, and include, among others, references to literature, poetry, nature, the mediterranean landscape and the events in paris during debussy s lifetime. Debussy preludes book 1 1909, voiles expressionism and serialism schoenberg, webern and berg video introduction to serialism. Debussy preludes, book 2 download free sheet music.
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