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Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

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Topic: Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level? (Read 25522 times)

ccr

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Posts: 26

Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

on: October 06, 2005, 10:01:47 AM

Hello,

I'm in the process of selecting and ordering (by difficulty) the pieces I would like to play. Suite Bergamesque is one of them, at least the prelude and Clair de Lune but don't know what level they are. Anybody knows the level for this pieces? Not the average/maximum for the entire suite, but for each of the movements.

I searched the forums but found nothing about it.

Thanks

Carlos

PS: Aren't they beautiful

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allthumbs

Sr. Member
Posts: 1632

Re: Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

Reply #1 on: October 06, 2005, 05:20:02 PM

The entire suite is listed in the Grade 10 syllabus of the RCM (Royal Conservatory of Music - Toronto).

Cheers

allthumbs

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Tash

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Posts: 2248

Re: Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

Reply #2 on: October 07, 2005, 06:22:14 AM

in the aussie AMEB system clair de lune is in the 'piano for leisure' (which is like a slightly easier version of the normal grading system) grade 7, the sarabande is 'Piano for leisure' CMus and the passepied is Amus (Cmus is slightly easier than Amus, which is the grade about grade 8 but significantly harder (to pass at least!)) and i'm not sure about the prelude....
but yes they are beautiful i love the passepied, i've just finished playing it!

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'J'aime presque autant les images que la musique' Debussy

Waldszenen

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Re: Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

Reply #3 on: October 07, 2005, 07:32:54 AM

None of them are exceptionally difficult but they're quite challenging nonetheless.

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Fortune favours the musical.

ccr

PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 26

Re: Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

Reply #4 on: October 07, 2005, 07:09:27 PM

Hello,

Thanks everybody for your answers. I finally find a excel file with lots of pieces and their ABSRM grading. It says all 4 pieces in Suite Bergamesque are grade 7. But I'm not sure if it is a promedium or the 4 movements are actually at level 7. In any case it seems I will have to put them lower in the list :_( (or practice more often)

Thanks again.

Carlos

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Dazzer

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Posts: 1021

Re: Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

Reply #5 on: October 08, 2005, 04:35:45 PM

yes some self advertising (possibly negative advertising)

i just posted my recording of it.

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=13026.msg139862#msg139862

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ccr

PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 26

Re: Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

Reply #6 on: October 08, 2005, 05:01:32 PM

Hello Dazzer,

I just downloaded your recording of Passepied and it sounds quite good. Maybe the recording is not very pro (too much reverb and echo) but you have it pretty under control

Congratulations.

If I can ask, for how long have you been playing piano before trying this piece? It may help in the sorting of my "I wanna play" list

Carlos

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sonatainfsharp

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Posts: 255

Re: Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

Reply #7 on: October 08, 2005, 08:48:32 PM

From experience and in tandem with other authors, I order the difficult of movements of the piece as such:

Prelude
Clair de Lune
Passapied
Menuet

The Prelude is considered very easy and the Menuet very difficult, so it depends on how much of the piece you are going to learn.

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Tash

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 2248

Re: Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

Reply #8 on: October 08, 2005, 11:11:29 PM

i just realised i had some weird thing in which i thought the sarabande from the suite pour piano was in the suite bergamasque, so for those who were like what i have no idea what i'm on about!

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'J'aime presque autant les images que la musique' Debussy

steve jones

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Posts: 1380

Re: Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

Reply #9 on: October 08, 2005, 11:17:28 PM

I cant wait to learn these pieces! As cliche as it is, Clair de Lune remains on of my all time favorite romantic piano pieces. Fantastic stuff.

Can I ask (slightly ot), what fingering are most of you guys using for the arpeggios? I had a look, and it seems that it would be extremely difficult to spread them across both hands. If this is the case, then I think I shall need to practice single hand arps a bit first!

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nanabush

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Posts: 2081

Re: Claude Debussy - Suite Bergamesque. What level?

Reply #10 on: October 09, 2005, 02:18:34 AM

Is the Menuet more difficult than the pieces from Children's corner?

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Interested in discussing:

-Prokofiev Toccata
-Scriabin Sonata 2

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