debussy prelude6, bk 1 Footprints in the snow & sustain pedal

[hyrst]

Hi, I have been playing Debbusy's preludes, bk 1.  I have done some research trying to find out characteristics of Debussy's stlye.  The information I have found is contrary.  For example, some books have said Debussy used a lot of sustain and some say none at all.  I am sure his use would have been fairly experimental - maybe it varied between pieces?  The scores that I have do not include any pedal markings.  I have tried playing pieceswith pedal, trying to get some idea for nyself - trying to imagine the scene being 'painted'.  However, I have come up with no preference - every time I play the pieces, I end up using different pedalling - I hear it differently so often.  One timeI like it one way and then the next it is completely different.

For example, with Prelude 6 Bk 1, is there some actual official use of the pedal?  If not, what pedal use do you recommend?

Thank you,
Annah

[thorn]

With all of Debussy's music, he rarely indicates any pedal at all.

Do you have a copy of the Alfred edition of the preludes? i find their pedal markings pretty much spot on

[hyrst]

Thank you for your reply.  No, I don't have a copy of Alfred's editions.  I have found 3 different editions only, and none of them had pedal markings.  ANy more advice would be reatly appreciated.

[a1]

  Hi, I am a1. I don't know how to play Debussy's prelude . But I recommend
you to play Debussy other early works to know his STYLE .

[pianolist]

Good evening,

I've put an mp3 of Debussy playing "La Plus que Lente" at:

https://www.pianola.org/music/la_plus_que_lente.mp3

I know it's not a Prelude, but it is him.

I'm out of time and going out just now. In due course I'll try to upload it to Pianostreet and include it in my thread about piano rolls. French pianists of the turn of the century seem to me to have had a different attitude to the sustaining pedal. They used it as a coloration device, and some of them keep it down through changes of harmony. Fauré does it, though he was going a bit deaf by the time he made his rolls. But so does Debussy, if you listen carefully to this recording.

[hyrst]

Thank you very much :-)  That was very helpful.

So that is Debussy playing?

It sounded like he did use quite a bit of pedal, especially in buiding depth in crescendo sections. 
It seems to fit pretty well with the sense I had from playing his preludes.  I guess sometimes our gut instincts can be right, if we are trying to listen to what we are playing - but knowing the composer helps a great deal.
Thanks