Which edition for Debussy Etudes?

[kriskicksass]

Which do you prefer between Henle and Durand? I know Henle's the standard, but Durand is also the original French edition in which Debussy published, and I've heard that it is sometimes preferable for Debussy. As I don't have a music store nearby where I can browse, I have to order the etudes, so which edition should I get?

[Waldszenen]

To be honest, you'll be safe with both, because they're both very reliable. It just comes down to a matter of taste.

I'd still go for Henle.

[kitty on the keys]

kriskickass, The music of Debussy is a challange to us for editions. Debussy very rarely if at all put fingering in the French editions. I am trying to recall, there might be a Dover edtion of the etudes that has been editied and has fingerings. My choice is the Durand edition. Henle is fine, great paper, you can read it more clearly, uses urtext edtitions, but, be careful of the fingering in any of the Henle edtitions----sometimes it is just plain bad---and for the price you pay. Believe it or not, I also get the Alfred edtitons for some of the pieces I work on. They offer great fingerings and how to divide passages between the hands. I showed this to my coach (Julliard--Adel Marcus student) and when I was learning some of the Ravel--"Le Tombeau"--he looked over my Alfred edition along with the Durand and said, this is what Adel Marcus said with the fingering and hand divisions. Hope this helps !

[kriskicksass]

I like Alfred editions, too! Most pianists I know say that the printing is too big and it looks like they're made for students (which they somehow imply is bad), but what are we all but students?

The only problem I have with Alfred is that sometimes their proofreading isn't too hot. It's never terrible, but they miss a clef change here, drop and accidental there, stuff like that. Since Alfred is so affordable, I usually buy that along with the Henle, using the Henle for the primary text but consulting the Alfred for fingerings and the other interesting info they put in there.

[bartolomeo_]

Big printing or spread out printing = too many page turns = bad

[kitty on the keys]

or-----small printing-------fewer pages----less page turns====more editor mistakes===mistakes learned from prinint errors---more strain on the eyes


so what's the problem with larger print--we all like to see what we are learning--too many page turns---poor baby---too bad so sad---photo copy diifficult pages--then memorize spots---it is possible

Kitty