Debussy- L'isle joyeuse... again

[pianisten1989]

So, I'm playing Debussy again

Since neither I nor my teacher is Debussy-pros, I'd really appreciate some comments

[rachfan]

Hi pianisten,

I am not a Debussy pro either.  I've played about 10 pieces of Debussy, but really need to play more of them.  

Nonetheless, I believe you play "L'Isle joyeuse" quite well.  In a musicology course long ago I learned that the inspiration for this piece might have been Antoine Watteau's painting, "Embarking for Cythere".  Watteau painted during the Rococo period.  If you examine that painting, you'll be struck by the way Watteau creates the atmosphere around the idyllic scene of the gathered revelers.  It's believed that Watteau, way back in the Rococo, was actually sowing the earliest seeds of impressionism.  Perhaps this resonated with Debussy. It's interesting too that "L'Isle joyeuse" was composed in 1904.  Up until the very late 1800s, Debussy wrote more in a Late Romantic idiom before transitioning into Impressionism. An excellent example was the lush "Fantasie for Piano and Orchestra".  In "L'Isle joyeuse" I can still hear some echoes of Debussy's romanticism blended into the newer impressionistic style.  This eclectic combination, in my opinion, is what makes this piece so striking to the listener.  This piece is really difficult to play, but your technique is up to the task.  I love the incredible coda--it was a stroke of Debussy's genius.  Congratulations on your fine achievement here!      

[pianisten1989]

I've heard it was inspired by a picture (and also some story it was inspired by Franck's daughter, by a half drunk professor), but none actually told me What picture. So I really appreciate it

So thx for listening and commenting

[birba]

First of all, everything that rachfan wrote is good advice.  You really have to have this Watteau image in mind (the painting) when you hear this music.  Your touch is very good and you have an uncanny feeling for the pedaling.  You also have a very fine "jeu perlé" which accords well with this piece!
My main criticism has to do with the tempo and dynamics.  Ravel is very very precise in both.  First of all the tempo.  Decide the metronome setting you want for the modéré.  I thought your beginning was very good.  It's about 84 to the quarter note, MORE OR LESS.   I emphasize that because it's only the base - you have to play around with it.  In fact, he says very souple.  Keep this same tempo, but less "souple" when you hit the 8th note = 8th note section.  You tended to slow down when you hit the trills.  We're at about 58-60 to the measure.  Just before measure 55, do a little accellerando and then a tiny cesura (break) before you take the opening theme and back to the original tempo.  The following section, Ravel says MOLTO RUBATO taking the tempo a little under.  You can really take liberties here - it's the romanticism that rachfan was talking about.  It really contrasts with what comes next:  the 8th note = 8th note section.  It has to be about 164, with very little playing around with the tempo.   At the end of this section when it says "poco a poco animé" -  we're close to 180=8th note.  And this will be, more or less, the tempo until the final "un peu cedé".  And the ending, faster still:  about 200 the 8th note.
I don't know whether it was the recording device or your piano, but there was very little dynamic changes. As I said before, you have a nice jeu perlé to your touch.  But there were times (e.g. after the un peu cédé section) when I thought you going too deep into the keys- In those passages, your fingers have to skim over the keys, barely touching them, in order to achieve that fast piano and pianissimo that Ravel wants.  at any rate, Ravel is very precise in the colors he wants, and all we have to do is observe the dynamics.
Your conception of the piece is convincing at the beginning.  The lethargic picnic enjoyed by these well-to-do bourgeois.  But after that romantic episode, there's a drive and intensity to the very end when the trumpets call them to board the ship for that isle joyeuse!  (At least that's how I imagine it!)  I'm sure when you get it up to speed, this drive will come out more.
Great work, at any rate.

[pianisten1989]

Thank you for this. Always great comments from you two!

About the dynamics - I basically slaughter the piano in the end, but it sound kind of mf. And in the pp places, I barely touch the keys (except for a MINOR cresc in the ending) but also that sounds like mf. I really need to get some better recording equipments..