Debussy: Clair de Lune (moonlight)
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The poem by Verlaine which inspired Suite Bergamasque, has given its name also to the suite’s most popular piece. Indeed, Clair de Lune (Moonlight) is often said to be the most famous of all Debussy’s works. Its name was changed from Promenade Sentimentale only shortly before publication, to indicate the connection of this music with the Symbolist movement, of which Verlaine was one of the leaders. Reacting against realism, a typical “daylight” form of literature, the Symbolists tried to illuminate more inaccessible regions of the human soul, through creating suggestive images and evoking moods. The moon naturally became their favourite symbol, spreading as it does a mysterious, indirect light on the dark side of the earth. Moonlight
Your soul is a select landscape Where charming masqueraders and bergamaskers go Playing the lute and dancing and almost Sad beneath their fantastic disguises.
All sing in a minor key Of victorious love and the opportune life, They do not seem to believe in their happiness And their song mingles with the moonlight,
With the still moonlight, sad and beautiful, That sets the birds dreaming in the trees And the fountains sobbing in ecstasy, The tall slender fountains among marble statues.
Paul Verlaine, 1869|
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Clair De Lune - Debussy July 24, 2010, 06:57:18 PM by _mewzik_
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I'm 14 and I do music in school. I don't do piano lessons though. I sat a Grade 1 exam when I was around 9 but that's about it. I've taught myself how to play Grade 5 and 6 pieces out of my sisters piano books though. I would love to play Clair De Lune for my junior cert so I got the sheet music and I started learning it yesterday. I can play up untill all the arpeggios, I think it's around measure 29. My hands are pretty small and I'm struggling to reach those arpeggios while still carrying the melody in the right hand. Does anybody have any tips or any advice on how I could reach them? I noticed alot of the rest of song has loads of arpeggios in it too so I'm not sure whether or not I should continue trying to learn this song or just give up. I would love to be able to play it though so I'd prefer to keep going. Anyone have any helpful tips or advice?
Also, does anybody know or could estimate around what grade or standard Clair De Lune would be considered?
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Clair de Lune December 28, 2009, 04:56:55 PM by quaver
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In this piece of music there are irregular groupings. I know that your play a group of 2 in the time of three. In this case 2 eighth notes in the time of 3 eighth notes. Now what about measure 19. I suppose this is a group of 6 eighth notes in the time of 9. How would you play/count this accurately in order to stretch it out to be in the same time frame as a regular 9/8 measure. I notice there are several of these irregular 6 note measures. Should I use a metronome and listen to getting to the first beat of the next measure on time. Any help would be appreciated.
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Trouble with Claire de Lune August 01, 2009, 01:42:24 AM by orangekyo
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Hi I am an amateur piano student and am having trouble with the following copy of claire de lune:
http://www.musanim.com/pdf/debussyclairdelune.pdf
At measure 10, is it just me or do I not have enough fingers in my left hand? How do i maintain the dotted half notes while playing the four finger chord? Do I have to use the pedal? Also, the dotted half note does not make up 9 beats for the measure as required by 9/8 time. I am confused.
Your help is appreciated. Thank you.
- OrangeKyo
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Clair de Lune May 27, 2009, 09:22:07 PM by keyboard kitty
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I've been learning Clair de Lune on and off for a bit of time now and have only managed to get to about 8 bars through the arpeggio part. I have been playing piano for almost 3 years and really want to be able to learn this piece nicely. Does anyone have any tips on how to learn it? Like what fingering to use, and do I just stress the 1st beats and a bit of the 2nd and 3rd?  Thank you!
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Fingering for arpeggios in Clair de Lune October 27, 2008, 12:45:49 AM by xxmynameisjohnxx
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Okay ui was wanting to know what the best fingering for the arpeggios starting at the bottom of page two. Currently, I'm using 5-2-1-3-2-1 and so on, but I didn't know if that was the best way to do that. I've been told that you aren't supposed to put thumbs and pinkies on black notes in arpeggios....but the you haveto jump a fifth as the first interval in the arpeggios and although I could get it to work with 4-2, it's significantly easier with 5-2. Thanks for the help in advanced!
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Debussy - Clair de Lune October 19, 2006, 10:49:48 AM by a1
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Hi, I am a person who very very interested about Clair de Lune . Clair de Lune is a very meaningful music about moonlight. It is the 3rd part of suite bergamasque and also the climax. Suite bergamasque is original from a poem Clair de Lune by one of the Frence famous poet P. Velaine . ( See below )
Moonlight
Your soul is like a landscape fantasy, Where masks and Bergamasks, in charming wise, Strum lutes and dance, just a bit sad to be Hidden beneath their fanciful disguise. Singing in minor mode of life's largesse And all-victorious love, they yet seem quite Reluctant to believe their happiness, And their song mingles with the pale moonlight, The calm, pale moonlight, whose sad beauty, beaming, Sets the birds softly dreaming in the trees, And makes the marbled fountains, gushing, streaming-- Slender jet-fountains--sob their ecstasies.
I am very happy to have a chance to play Clair de Lune . Unfortunately , i am not as good as all of you . I am not talented and have to struggle to play the beautiful masterpiece . Clair de Lune require a big hand because the music gap is big. This make my hand some time sore.
Any suggestion and opinion about how to play Clair de Lune more perfect i very appreciate. All of you can also go to my topic "Claude Debussy piano works" by me ( a1 ) in sheet music request for voting. Thank you.
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