These beautiful french works are a must for all pianists. Claude debussys preludes are 24 pieces for solo piano, divided into two books of 12 preludes each. Get to know all of the debussy preludes with christina mcmaster this month. With glissandos emulating the sound of a harp, and by incorporating numerous dissonant chords that do not resolve to any traditional patterns of chord. Claude debussy had been toying with the idea of writing a book of preludes for some time, and once he began, the process was a speedy one with his first volume completed within two months. The article is about the first prelude for piano in book 2. As for his piano compositions, after he completed the second book of preludes the only. Voiles voiles preludes, book i, 1909 1910 sep29 sails or veils i havent had a chance to write this piece up yet, but feel free to start the discussion in the comments.
Hamelins stature, extraordinary from the start, increases with every new issue. 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. Provided to youtube by universal music group debussy. Sviatoslav richter plays debussy preludes book i duration. Aug 19, 2016 the composer who benefited most from this liberation was bartok, who was introduced to debussys music by kodaly in 1907. The music becomes more dramatic toward the end of the set. Use of the whole tone scale in debussys voiles, prelude. Inspired by the performances of the american dancer loie. A new album from marcandre hamelin is always cause for celebration. But michelangelis skills arent limited to just two of the preludes, they are all fantastic, and the same can be said of the images. Debussy is always very specific in what he wants and the pianist must follow his. The title of the piece may be translated to english as either veils or sails.
Voiles is a composition by claude debussy for solo piano from 1909. The titles are provided at the end of each prelude and left without dedication, with inspiration from impressionist artwork, literature, and nature. A descriptive analysis of the preludes book 1 of claude. In figure m, the melodic line is just in voiles the first subject that opens the piece and is immediately repeated three times, and many more times throughout the piece.
Claude debussy preludes, book i amazon web services. Debussy dover music for piano by debussy, claude isbn. Claude debussys preludes are 24 pieces for solo piano, divided into two books of 12 preludes. Images, preludes book 2 hamelin by debussy, claude on cd. Debussys colouristic masterpiece, a bewitching compendium of scents, colours and sounds. Book i was written between december 1909 and february 1910, and book ii between the last months. Jan 09, 2010 voiles, number 2 from book i of debussys preludes. That this was general we can to some extent see from the sales figures quoted by roy howat. This paper also includes a brief history of preludes as well as possible influences upon debussy and his compositions. 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. Unlike some notable collections of preludes from prior times, such as chopins op. Each book was written in a matter of months, at an unusually fast pace for debussy. Although you wont find krystian zimermans ultrarefined.
Order from your preferred classical music cd store arkivmusic. In this passage from voiles, the teacher could instruct the student to hear the. Preludes, book 1 images, book 1, an album by claude debussy, yukie nagai on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. A descriptive analysis of the preludes book 1 of claude debussy. 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. Debussy keeps the bass and top line and decides to change the middle voice from merely playing. Preludes, an album by claude debussy, krystian zimerman on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. Inspired by the performances of the american dancer loie fuller, whose scarf dances were. Except for some mild, localized chromaticism and a short pentatonic passage, the entire piece uses the whole tone scale. The late mary antonietti, a pianist and cousin of gustav holst who met debussy when he came to london in 1909, remembered that book ii of the preludes was greeted in britain with slight disappointment. Did debussy employ an esoteric musical language, as his 3 september 1893 letter to. Voiles music score from preludes book 1 debussy, claude at imslp notes on voiles on.
The twentyfour preludes of debussy are published in two books of twelve preludes each. The works in debussys second book of preludes are similar in intent to those of book i 1907 1910. Claude debussy, french composer whose works were a seminal force. But there is too little mystery and confidentiality in those preludes where debussy demands stillness rather than hyperactivity, a touch of mystery and enigma rather than exultance. The opening of voiles is more assertive than piano and tres doux, hardly evoking the everfanciful cortots flight of the white wing on the crooning sea. 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. This album contains the preludes, books 1 and 2 by debussy, presented by piano classics, a label of brilliant classics. Book i was composed in a short time between december 1909 and february 1910. Claude debussy, preludes, book i debussys preludes are divided into two parts. Three years exist between the publication of the first and second book, with the former appearing in 1910.
As he plays debussys book 1 preludes, you notice how effortlessly his arms, hands, and fingers are choreographed to the music. 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. 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. Chandos records is one of the worlds premier classical music record companies, best known for. Although you wont find krystian zimermans ultrarefined fingerwork and wide dynamic range, nor paul jacobs linear perception, theres much to. Preludes and an indepth analysis of brouillards and voiles are included. Also recorded here is the second book of preludes, in a poetic and evocative performance. Except for some mild, localized chromaticism and a short pentatonic passage, the entire piece uses the whole. Debussy took great care in assigning these titles, and several contain quotations from various poems. Playing debussys piano works an amateurs thoughts about playing debussy. Voiles sails veilsmodere by claude debussy napster. Finally, in pagodes, debussy similarly develops the main melody in his piece.
Join me as i delve into the backstory of one of our almost forgotten cultural icons for two shows only fame. These works have been central to stevens repertoire for many years and he brings them to the studio after. Debussy voiles from the 1st book of preludes youtube. Often dubbed a musical impressionist, but his music always has a strong sense of form. Voiles, meaning either veils or sails in french, is an example of an impressionist piece of music even though debussy himself refused the title of an impressionist. Julia hastings is a classical pianist and performance artist based in melbourne, australia. Daniele fasani, piano live at orleans concours international. Among the most important 20th century composers, and the most influential. These compositions, while endearing themselves to both pianist and listener, also occupy an important place in musical. These compositions, while endearing themselves to both pianist and. Preludes books 1 and 2 paperback april 1, 1999 by claude debussy composer 4. The piece elicits feelings of serenity within an eerie tranquility.
Datetime dimensions user comment 15 december 2011, 14. Hyacinth talk contribs created by using sibelius 5. Chopin, debussy composed twentyfour preludes in two books 1910 and 19. Claude debussy composed the second book of preludes during 1910 12. Two excerpts from the emperor concerto, showing beethovens use of uneven groups of notes. Here in his first debussy recording for hyperion he presents the two books of images. Every one of the preludes is marvellous but i have to make a special mention of no. It is the second piece in a set of twelve preludes published in 1910. Listen to voiles sails veilsmodere by claude debussy. Prelude voiles, book 1 no 2 prelude voiles book 1 no 2. Debussys unique timbral desires sometimes resulted in perplexing notational symbols.
Pascal roge recorded debussys preludes book 1 for decca some time ago, and he has remade them, together with book 2, marking the start of a complete cycle of this composers piano works. Debussys two books of piano preludes were the epitome of squeezing out the utmost palate of colours possible on a piano, aided by unique pedaling effects, sometimes putting the focus on low or high sonorities, and often stretching out the written music to three staves, the 24 preludes invite orchestral imagination on the part of the pianist. Debussys orchestral sound world, which can inform interpretative choices. Voiles da preludi, libro i, per pianoforte debussy voiles preludes, book 1 no. Esotericism as a determinant of debussys harmonic language jstor. He was too good a composer to imitate debussy, although there are a few examples of direct influence it. Some pedaling marks at the bottom if these pages were cut off. Adopting the major piano works including the preludes, bartok absorbed the liberated message as deeply as he absorbed the idiom of the hungarian peasant. Other debussian devices include the regarding of the seventh chord e. Debussy preludes, book 1 by claude debussy 18621918. I have been working on it for awhile now, just trying to take care of these little details. Societe musicale independante, claude debussy piano 19110503 in paris, salle pleyel complete jane mortier piano first pub lication.