Debussy Preludes Bk 2

[lukeottevanger]

I would have to say that "the hills of anacapri" and "the girl with the flaxen hair" are the most accessible pieces from the first book. There's still a bit of strain on the ears with "Dancers of Delphi."

I don't think Brouillards is that 'misty' either...probably a bit more ominous sounding. I'm not sure if I'm correct, but I would hardly classify it as 'atonal' music. Maybe someone else can enlighten me in that respect.

It's not atonal; it is chromatically saturated throughout - hence the misty effects! - by the superimposition of white note and black note patterns, but the patterns themselves, which are mostly triads and pentatonic fragments, are among the staples of tonal music. That's one of the fascinating things about this piece: Debussy uses the very simplest and most familiar of means - almost naive, in fact - but combines them in such a way as to obscure their standard familiarity and clarity. That, in addition to the pedal-drenched sonority, is why the piece has this 'misty' character - mistiness not just in general sound but in the way simple 'solid' objects have become hard to discern and understand. There are countless shades within this of course - a great moment is when he clarifies the notation so that that inpenetrably complex cloud of sound you are proudly holding onto with your foot in one bar...is in the next revealed to be no more than a simple chord of open fifths. That's eye music, I suppose, but it's effective nonetheless.

So to return to the point - it isn't atonal. Perhaps in a sense it is bitonal, in that at any point each hand is doing something very tonal indeed, but it doesn't function like normal bitonality. Indeed, just as much Debussy takes functional tonality and treats it in a non-functional way, so here he seems to be doing the same in a bitonal sense. Another point is that most of the time it is one-pattern-then-another: they are not played simultanously, although the pedal blurs them together. How does that affect things...? In the end, I'd just plump for: it's in plain old C major, but with persistent decoration superimposed in other predominantly black note keys.

It's things like this - all these extra layers of sophisitication we see in this piece, I suppose, and an unwillingness to put everything right up on the surface - which make me contrary in possibly preferring the second book to the first, though I don't see the need to make a choice and love both. Interestingly enough, there seems to me to be a general pattern of preferring first books to seconds (think of the Chopin or Ligeti Etudes, or even, with many people, the WTC).

[Ten thumbs]

To make a fair comparison of the two books, I find I must go back to my student days because in more recent years, when the mood takes one to look up old favourites, what comes out first? Why, book one of course. So here are some of my book 2 favourites that I am going to play again:
"Les Fées sone d'exquise danseuses"
La terrasse dea audiences du claur de lune
Canope
Les tierces alternées
Unfortunately, I never managed to master Feux d'Artifice

[MishaK]

To make a fair comparison of the two books, I find I must go back to my student days because in more recent years, when the mood takes one to look up old favourites, what comes out first? Why, book one of course. So here are some of my book 2 favourites that I am going to play again:
"Les Fées sone d'exquise danseuses"
La terrasse dea audiences du claur de lune
Canope
Les tierces alternées
Unfortunately, I never managed to master Feux d'Artifice

My personal favorite is La Puerta del vino. General Lavine is fun, too.

[Joe_Campbell]

To make a fair comparison of the two books, I find I must go back to my student days because in more recent years, when the mood takes one to look up old favourites, what comes out first? Why, book one of course. So here are some of my book 2 favourites that I am going to play again:
"Les Fées sone d'exquise danseuses"
La terrasse dea audiences du claur de lune
Canope
Les tierces alternées
Unfortunately, I never managed to master Feux d'Artifice

You should record them! I'd love to hear you play.

O Mensch...I didn't know you played. Or are you referring to which piece you liked the most?

[MishaK]

O Mensch...I didn't know you played. Or are you referring to which piece you liked the most?

I play, though I was also referring to the pieces I like most in Book II, both to hear and to play. Debussy's preludes keep me sane. I return to these works over and over again and they cemented my love for the instrument. I haven't practiced them in a long time -- have concentrated on Mozart, Brahms and Beethoven as of late -- but Danseuses de Delphes, Voiles, la Cathedrale engloutie, des pas sur la neige, Collines d'Anacapri and La Fille aux cheveux de lin are part of my permanent active repertoire. Cathedrale is one of my all-time favorites.

[schweitzeralan]

I play, though I was also referring to the pieces I like most in Book II, both to hear and to play. Debussy's preludes keep me sane. I return to these works over and over again and they cemented my love for the instrument. I haven't practiced them in a long time -- have concentrated on Mozart, Brahms and Beethoven as of late -- but Danseuses de Delphes, Voiles, la Cathedrale engloutie, des pas sur la neige, Collines d'Anacapri and La Fille aux cheveux de lin are part of my permanent active repertoire. Cathedrale is one of my all-time favorites.

Does anyone like "Ondine?" Debussy's use of parallel chords are magnificent; this piece is quintessential Debussy, and certain chords are not unlike the use of atmospheric subtleties of Ravel's "La Valle Des Cloches." This is essentially my territory. The Preludes overall are wonderful.

[millionrainbows]

Good thread! I've always liked Book II better, that's because I "imprinted" on them first. Guess who? Sviatoslav Richter, on an old Vox/Turnabout LP, back on 1969...who would have thought Richter? But he does it very subtly and lightly, with a fleeting, delicate touch. I didn't know that stiff-jawed guy had it in him!

It's available on CD as "Richter in Sploeto," and it is still my favorite. You hear him walking out on stage as the church bells are chiming!

I'd like to try the Zimmerman as well; I saw it used. I have Michaelangeli, and I agree that it is superb.





This one is nice, too, by Jeni Zaharieva:

I always go back to the late Paul Jacobs as well, on Nonesuch.