Debussy, video of L'isle Joyeuse

[Nightscape]

This is a video of me playing L'isle Joyeuse by Debussy.  Comments?  Has it improved any since I last recorded it?

https://personal.utulsa.edu/~jeremy-ricketson/DebussyIsle.WMV

[Baldwinguy]

You play too loud

[Nightscape]

You play too loud

What a probing comment!  Keep in mind though, that recording to a cheap video camcorder in a small, wood floored room on a grand piano will tend to make everything loud.

[raffyplayspiano]

   I jsut saw your video,  And I feel you definitely have control of this piece, and played it REALLY well, regardless of what others may say...this is by far not an easy piece--and i think as i already stated, you showed really good command!  post more stuff!  Truly enjoyable!
raffy

[Derek]

Sorry I didn't respond to this sooner! My parents moved their TV and satellite box around in their room, saw the DSL filter and thought: THIS EXTENSION CABLE CLEARLY SERVES NO PURPOSE.

As a result my internet has been slow as 56k for the past 4 days. Now that its fast, I was able to download your video.

This piece friggin rocks. From what I can tell you're playing it excellently! I have only had professional lessons for the past year or so...so I'm afraid I can't provide any specific comments as to the quality of your execution. My ears are happy, however, and thats enough for me! hehe.

I need to get a CD of debussy! I do not have any yet. Jeez.

By the way, what sort of piano are you playing there? It sounds really nice. Is it a Schimmel?

Baldwinguy: All audio in WMV's becomes compressed, or so I believe. This causes the volume to become uniform. One gets the impression that a pianist is playing louder than he actually is. Listen to how silent sounds swell, and loud sounds kind of "jump down" in volume.

[thierry13]

I would say try to remove a bit of raisonnance in the first two "runs" while trilling. They are not that clear. But else of that, it's very good! Keep up the good work!

[asyncopated]

Wow, cool.

[lostinidlewonder]

Generally well excecuted note wise, but more flexibility in the tempo typical of Debussy style required. Some quick comments which i picked out watching it the first time, you have to broaden those melodic lines more, and bring out the top notes of the chordal passages more. Especially at 2:30mins, this is such a moment in the piece. I liked your volume control, however i think a little more intimacy with the melody to lengthen the tempo a little, more flexilbity. Dont rush the LH because it will rush the melody in the RH there.

Places like 3:40, the Lh melody has to be much more individual it gets lost a little with the RH, and keep the RH even more lighter than what you have.

4:28, the reentry has to be a lot more cheekier in sound, sharper, a little less legato.

4:45 THe Rh arpeggios the very top notes have to be drawn out a lot more. THen the Lh repeated notes will interact with it a lot nicer.

5:30: especially at 5:45, broaden is the word for those low bass which will naturally give the RH more. The big sound of this finale part need to be draw through the bass more.

nice though !

[Bouter Boogie]

Nice job  You play it better than me I think 

Anyway, what did you find most difficult to play in L'Isle Joyeuse??

[Nightscape]

Nice job  You play it better than me I think 

Anyway, what did you find most difficult to play in L'Isle Joyeuse??

Thanks!  Definately the hardest parts for me are the section with the arpeggios in the middle, and also coordinating the RH 32nds on the last page with the LH.

[Bouter Boogie]

Thanks!  Definately the hardest parts for me are the section with the arpeggios in the middle, and also coordinating the RH 32nds on the last page with the LH.

I agree  Those parts are quite difficult yup..
Anyway, do you often play pieces of Debussy? L'Isle Joyeuse was actually one of my first ones 

[Nightscape]

I love playing Debussy.... along with Ravel and Bartok he is my favorite piano composer.

But before I learned L'isle Joyeuse, I also played his Suite Bergamasque, the arabesques, Reflets dans l'eau, Hommage to Rameau, Golliwog's cakewalk, The girl with the Flaxen hair, and Ondine.  So I suppose I learned a thing or two about his style along the way!  But Debussy is such a deep, complex composer that it would take a lifetime to develop a true understanding of his music.  I've decided to abandon L'isle Joyeuse for at least a few months and study other easier Debussy pieces.  Then I will return and relearn L'isle Joyeuse, and hopefully will have benefited from my study.

[Bouter Boogie]

I agree that Debussy is such a complex composer 
I abandoned L'Isle Joyeuse more than a month ago, hopefully I'll play it in a couple of years again.. Think I'll might play it a lot different by then 

So what's your favorite piece of Debussy then? (Sorry I'm asking too much questions    )

[Dazzer]

i've only played his passepied... haha

[nanabush]

Is the passepied difficult to play?  I like that and the prelude from Suite Bergamasque, I do not like CDL at all from the suite.

[iumonito]

Hi NS,

Congrats, you are doing a very nice job with this piece.  You have it in better shape than I do at the moment, but this is a piece I have played for many years (since I was about your age, 20 years ago) and would be glad to share with you a couple of concepts you may choose to explore.  Naturally, judge for yourself.

First of all, this piece is based on a Watteau painting about (minors, cover your eyes) a couple that goes to Cythere, an island where pleasure is the name of the day.  The score reflects this sensual atmosphere very well, and thinking of it will likely deepen your understanding of the structure and the general layout of the various climaxes in the piece.  Variety of color is called for, just like in Pictures at an Exhibition (a work i think would suit you well).

On a more technical level, you may want to experiment with a greater variety of speeds of attach and of finger angle and mass engagement.  This is how it works: you can play just as loudly by playing the keys with fast velocity of attack and not much weight (mass, really) or by pressing the keys much more slowly but engaging the larger muscles in your apparatus (mostly the back muscles, particularly the shoulders).  Same thing with finger angle, the smaller the surface you are using to play, the more piercing and less fat the sound you will produce.  Flat fingers = fatter sound.  This will improve you color palette, your ear will let you know.  Note that this does not affect rhythm or tempo, as simply the action of playing occurs earlier or overlaps with other gestures.

Feel free to use the una corda pedal.  I think I did not perceive any use of it and it makes a lot of sense in lots of places.  You should experiment, although if you want them, I will be glad to tell you the ones I use some times.

Post more.

P.S. Nice Rittmuller.

[Nightscape]

Some wonderful suggestions iumonito that I will definately put to good use.  I'm glad you noticed the Ritmuller!  It's kind of hard to see the label, really.

Sadly, the una corda pedal was damaged by the last piano tuner (it won't go down, it's jammed or something.)  I'm hoping I can get it fixed as soon as possible.

[angelina]

well now i actually managed to watch the video...
the trills.., u should try to play them with more rotation, maybe fingering 2-4 could help, and with less fingers...thatīs how u can get it faster and pp. in other places too u should think about balance.
an over-all thing: u move when u play and thatīs natural of course but u should study the video and think where it might be affecting your playing.
and u cheated somewhere
there were a lot of good things too.
 

[pianowelsh]

Good job! this is one of the most technically demanding pieces of Debussy and you have a good grasp on it! Its difficult to tell form your recording but i would say you need to work on getting more tonal contrasts now. For me you pedal too deep too often which means we loose some of the rhythmic clarity. It has been mentioned but watch clarity of balance between the hands its mainly the LH that dosent cut through OR rather it has to work too hard to get over your RH ostinato - send it to the background and you'll open up a whole new world of colours. You could also open out more and be more lyrical in the chordal passages

[baldwinlover]

this is my first time using this web-site. I actually signed-on just so I could hear your recording of the piece. Unfortunately, my computer isn't letting me download the video...I'll try again another time. In the meanwhile, it looks as if you already have a lot of constructive comments from others. I have a couple of suggestions from my own experience with the piece, keeping in mind that I have not seen or heard your performance yet. I performed this piece for my masters solo recital, began it in high school (about 7 years ago) and am still constantly striving to play it better. 1) The opening trills can be played a thousand ways. My Henle ed. suggests 5-3. I think this is very difficult. The purpose is to use a rotational motion and of course using the outer fingers helps give it a lighter dynamic level, if you can keep the trills fast and loose. I struggled with this fingering (and have quite small hands). I also played with 1-3 (too loud) and 2-4 (Ok, but nothing special). I have finally settled (at least momentarily) with alternating fingers: 1-3-2-3. The down-side is obvious. You use thumb and as I was told, thumb is only 1 p from "thump!". Also, you must coordinate this quick fingering at a fast tempo. Once you get it though, its quite comfortable and helps promote a loose, rotational movement involving the entire arm, shoulder and body.

The middle section with the l.h. arpegiated bass and beautiful RH melodic passage (right before the difficult middle-section with the RH runs) is I believe a climactic point of the piece. It seems almost foreign to the rest of the story, but says so much. It needs to be played very delicately and passionately. Let the RH melody dominate the shape of the harmonies and overall tempo. Don't let the LH get too loud. It's amazing how soft you can "think" you are playing the left hand and still over-power the RH. I find it useful (in all sections, not just this section) to play a blocked LH, simplified, with the RH melody. This is especially useful in the following passage with the RH runs. See how EASY you can make it, focusing on the shaping and direction of the harmonies, rather than practicing the "difficulty" of it. Slow-fast practicing and in rhythms is also extremely valuable use of time. I hope these comments are helpful. I truly believe this piece represents the pinacle of Debussy's playing and composing. Yes, if you can get that una corda pedal fixed, you will be able to play with a whole other color palette...it can also become a crutch too though..so just be careful.  Looking forward to hearing you soon!!! (keeping fingers crossed that my computer will eventually let me view these videos)

[rachfan]

Now when you click on the link, it's "NOT FOUND".

[lostinidlewonder]

Maybe he will post an improvement