Impressionistic repertorie suggestions?

[cubsfan334]

So I'd like to learn something by Ravel or Debussy, but not being overly familiar with their works, I was wondering if someone here could make a few suggestions that would be possible for me to play (i.e. not overly difficult).

Right now, I'd consider myself advanced, but not overly advanced: I currently play the Pathetique, Rhapsody in Blue, and black keys etude at performance level, and Chopin's etude 10 4 and the Appassionata are nearly there.

I really like Une Barque Sur L'ocean, but I think that's too difficult for me right now.  I was thinking Reflets Dans L'eau?  That might be too difficult too, though.  Thanks guys!

[orangesodaking]

Roman Sketches by Charles Griffes would be great.

White Peacock

Nightfall

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The Fountain of Acqua Paola

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Clouds

(recording is a tad fast.)

[lostinidlewonder]

Debussy Reflects dans l'eau is not too difficult if you have good grasp of whole tone scale forms, Ravel's water pieces pose more challenge. I like Debussy's Preludes and I think they are a great place for the advanced pianist who wants to explore Debussy further, his Estampes are also important to learn if you want to get to know Debussy. There are of course all of those standard pieces from Debussy which you should learn to play such as Clair de Lune, Reverie, Arabesque, Girl with the Flaxen Hair and Golliwog's Cakewalk which are amongst the most popular.

For Ravel, Sonatine, Pavane pour une infante defunte, Menuet sur le nom d'Haydn and Menuet Antique are good places for someone who doesn't want to try things too difficult but still advanced. I love Ravel's Une Barque sur l'ocean but it is not as hard as the Ondine, his Jeax d'eau is probably the easier of the three water pieces.

[john11inc]

I'd just sift through some of Debussy's Preludes.  The Ce qu'a vu le Vient d'Ouest is very hard to play like, incredibly well, but not super impossible to play passingly.  And if you're just going to use it as an encore, that would probably be fine.  I dunno, man.  Impressionism + Encore piece doesn't really mix, typically.

[ahinton]

I'd just sift through some of Debussy's Preludes.  The Ce qu'a vu le Vient d'Ouest is very hard to play like, incredibly well, but not super impossible to play passingly.  And if you're just going to use it as an encore, that would probably be fine.  I dunno, man.  Impressionism + Encore piece doesn't really mix, typically.

I rather fear that playing it as Pollini does here is an achievement that very few could hope to approach, let alone surpass; thank you for posting this.

Best,

Alistair

[nanabush]

Some Debussy that could work:

Preludes: brouillards, le vent dans la plaine, la puerta del vino, minstrels, tierces alternees, bruyeres, cathedrale engloutie
Images: reflets dans l'eau, movement, cloches a travers les feuilles,
Estampes: jardins sous la pluie
Suite Pour le Piano: prelude

His 'Nocturne', 'Ballade', and 'Masques' are severely underplayed (and barely discussed on the forum) but are INCREDIBLE pieces.  If you are thinking of a 'water piece' based on the Barque sur l'Ocean mention, Debussy has tons of water pieces, that might be a bit easier but just as rewarding as the Ravel.  I've mentioned a bunch

I'm sure if you are playing the Chopin and Beethoven stuff that you said then you can probably tackle any of Debussy's stuff.

Some Ravel that could work:

Sonatine (great choice for starting Ravel; it was my first piece by him)

Tombeau de Couperin: Prelude, Rigaudon,
Valses Nobles et Sentimentales

'Miroirs' might be a pretty crazy starting Ravel... even the slow ones wouldn't really seem to available as a 'starter' Ravel piece.


...Of the ones I suggested, most of those could be an 'encore' although I don't see the original poster mentioning an encore (unless I skipped through it several times).

Griffes also has really cool music (I was thinking of the Roman Sketches, as also mentioned earlier)