Debussy/Voiles

[arensky]

The second prelude from Book I, recorded a couple of months ago. The recording is a bit muffled, sorry.

[arensky]

Bump 

[teresa_b]

  Very nice!  You have a good feel for this piece.  I have no significant criticisms--the only thing I might suggest is to think of the whole thing as even more filmy and diaphanous.  But it really sounds nice now.  Great work!

Teresa

[pianistimo]

I've not played this piece, but it is it possible to play the thirds with two hands (one for top line and other for bottom).  The reason i ask is that this would be be much more etherial at double tempo - really lightening up on the fastest notes.  guess that debussy is one of the harder composers to play.  You really have to memorize it to get the best sounds.  I liked what you did in the middle section with the glissandos.  They sound good.

in looking at the score, don't you wish debussy had moved the octaves to the right hand so you could play octave and then fast run with same lh - so rh and lh could play really fast there together.  playing thirds with one hand as smoothly as possible probably takes working out a few fingerings so you don't get ba ba     ba ba.  maybe move the rh thumb over to the last note?

[arensky]

I've not played this piece, but it is it possible to play the thirds with two hands (one for top line and other for bottom).  The reason i ask is that this would be be much more etherial at double tempo - really lightening up on the fastest notes. 

You have to do the thirds with one hand because the LH is playing the ostinato bass and the chords at the same time. I'll try playing it faster, but this tempo is already fast enough imo. The faster tempo will be interesting, though.


 

guess that debussy is one of the harder composers to play.  You really have to memorize it to get the best sounds.  I liked what you did in the middle section with the glissandos.  They sound good.

For me he might be the easiest composer.

in looking at the score, don't you wish debussy had moved the octaves to the right hand so you could play octave and then fast run with same lh - so rh and lh could play really fast there together.

Not sure what you mean    I play the octaves with both hands, and the "glissando", the first five notes with the LH and the rest with the RH, each note fingered, so it's not a glissando.

playing thirds with one hand as smoothly as possible probably takes working out a few fingerings so you don't get ba ba     ba ba.  maybe move the rh thumb over to the last note?

I've always played 5 5 4 3 2  , pedaling lightly for the legato. Getting it consistent does require patience.   3 3 2 1 1  I'm glad that you enjoyed this recording. 

[arensky]

Very nice!  You have a good feel for this piece.  I have no significant criticisms--the only thing I might suggest is to think of the whole thing as even more filmy and diaphanous.  But it really sounds nice now.  Great work!

Teresa

Even more pedal? My former teachers (except one) are cringing!  Glad you liked it.

[teresa_b]

Even more pedal? My former teachers (except one) are cringing!  Glad you liked it.

Well, I didn't necessarily mean you need more pedal, although I believe you can get away with a lot of pedaling in Debussy, depending on the mood of it.  (And I am not a pedal-maniac, being a Mozart person!)  Just a mindset of "billowy, filmy" etc--I find sometimes if I visualize imagery of what I am going for, I can better produce the sound.  Have fun, your Debussy sounds wonderful! 

Teresa

[lisztisforkids]

Very nice. Debussy (and French music in general) is a mysterious and seductive language I have never been able to grasp.