Your Top Four Favorite Debussy Solo Piano Works

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Claude hopes you all have fun!

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My choices: Préludes, Books I & II and Images, Books I & II.

[kishnevi]

Can't do it.  If the question was "name your favorite 30 works" I could...

Claude hopes you all have fun!

Amazing people didn't get heatstroke dressed like that for the beach (or was Deauville not really hot?)

[Mirror Image]

Can't do it.  If the question was "name your favorite 30 works" I could...
Amazing people didn't get heatstroke dressed like that for the beach (or was Deauville not really hot?)

I knew this would be a difficult poll, but I picked four works that I felt I could take to that desert island. Anyway, I imagine it's not too hot in Deauville. That's in Normandy isn't it? Sorry, if I'm incorrect --- I need to reacquaint myself with French geography.

[kishnevi]

I knew this would be a difficult poll, but I picked four works that I felt I could take to that desert island. Anyway, I imagine it's not too hot in Deauville. That's in Normandy isn't it? Sorry, if I'm incorrect --- I need to reacquaint myself with French geography.

if really pressed I would do the same four. Of course they're not really just four: Preludes are 24 all by themselves.

Who at GMG has been to Deauville and can testify to its climate? Spineur? Anyone else?

[Mirror Image]

if really pressed I would do the same four. Of course they're not really just four: Preludes are 24 all by themselves.

Who at GMG has been to Deauville and can testify to its climate? Spineur? Anyone else?

Hmmm...but on the Debussy website, it lists the Préludes as being two different works even though we both know they make up one work, but they're treated as Book I and Book II. I'm not too sure, but I'll let someone else weigh in here, because I don't want to look any more ignorant than I do already.

[Madiel]

The two books of Preludes were written several years apart.

Anyway, as I understood the comment, it wasn't suggesting that 2 entries could become 1, it was suggesting 2 could become 24.

[Madiel]

After spending part of the evening playing fragments of the Bavouzet box set and whittling down a short list, I ended up going with:

Preludes, Book 1
Images, set 1
Pour le piano
Children's Corner

A special mention should go to Masques, which I like very much but at the end of the day I couldn't let it displace the larger pieces. There is some evidence that Masques, D'un cahier d'esquisses and L"isle joyeuse were intended to be a set at one point before being published as separate pieces. If they'd been kept as a set they might have pushed out one of the other things I chose.

[Florestan]

Children's Corner
Suite bergamasque
L'isle joyeuse
La plus que lente

[ritter]

Who at GMG has been to Deauville and can testify to its climate? Spineur? Anyone else?

I've been, many years ago. It was in July, and I don't recall it as being particularly warm (but I don't think I'd have enjoyed it much if I had had to wear a starched shirt. a waistcoat and a jacket). Lovely seaside resort, and it has its own Rue Reynaldo Hahn (just down the street from the Hôtel Normandy, on the way to the sea).

TD:

I cannot choose, you won't make me choose... There's simply to many Debussy piano pieces I would not want to eliminate from my list. 

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TD:

I cannot choose, you won't make me choose... There's simply to many Debussy piano pieces I would not want to eliminate from my list. 

Ah, man! Come on! You can do this, Rafael. I have faith in you.

[Spineur]

.....

Who at GMG has been to Deauville and can testify to its climate? Spineur? Anyone else?

I have spend a number of my chilhood summers there.  The weather in the summer is pleasant - not too hot.  One of the best boardwalk around the world.  To see and be seen.

The beach has a very small slope, so to go swimming you have to walk quite a distance from the beach especially at low tides.  You can scoop clams there easily.  Villerville nearby is an even better spot for that.

Now you have your postcard...

[ritter]

Ah, man! Come on! You can do this, Rafael. I have faith in you.

OK then   

Today my vote goes for:

- Douze études
- Images, 1ère série
- L'isle joyeuse
- Berceuse héroique

[Mirror Image]

OK then   

Today my vote goes for:

- Douze études
- Images, 1ère série
- L'isle joyeuse
- Berceuese héroique

Wonderful! Great looking list my man!

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I like how popular the etudes are

[Mirror Image]

I like how popular the etudes are

I really like the feedback from listeners more than the actual voting of specific works. We have a wide array tastes here at GMG and this, within itself, is truly wonderful.

[Mahlerian]

I voted for the Etudes, both sets of Preludes, and Children's Corner, though that last could have easily been Pour le piano or many other works here...

[aleazk]

I voted for the Etudes, both sets of Preludes, and Children's Corner, though that last could have easily been Pour le piano or many other works here...

Ha, exactly the same vote from me.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

I'm with John on this one. Images and preludes books I and II are among the greatest piano works ever composed. La cathédrale engloutie helps me sleep well at night (not because of boredom no no no but because it's atmosphere is so calming).

[The Six]

Yeah, it's not really gonna be fair when you have 24 preludes going up against solo pieces. Picking 4 individual pieces, I'll go with:

Bruyeres
La cathedrale engloutie
Étude pour les arpèges composés
Reflets dans l'eau