Pieces to Play – Debussy’s Preludes

This instalment in our Pieces to Play series explores Debussy’s Préludes which feature in a variety of resources in our repertoire library, including in three new videos lessons with marked scores. Composed in two books between 1909 and 1913, these miniature masterpieces represent a profound and revolutionary exploration of musical colour and expression.

Each book contains twelve pieces characterised by their descriptive titles and rich, impressionistic textures. Interestingly, Debussy placed titles at the conclusion of each work rather than at the beginning, almost as though the words came as an afterthought to musical sound. The works conjure vivid imagery and atmosphere, often inspired by nature, literature and the visual arts.

Playing the Préludes

Playing Debussy’s Préludes requires a combination of technical prowess and artistic sensitivity. Pianists must master the physical demands of the pieces while also embracing their expressive possibilities. As a starting point, reflect on the imagery or story behind the piece you’re working on. Then attempt to develop a personal connection with it in order to arrive at a unique and personal interpretation.

Voicing and balancing of voices is crucial, particularly in the Préludes with more complex textures. You will need to clearly differentiate the melody from the accompaniment, ensuring that the melody sings above the texture without overpowering the other voices. This often involves careful finger independence, control and practising with a keen ear to distinguish between the different layers of sound!

Control over the dynamic range is another important aspect of performing these works effectively. Many pieces demand a delicate handling of very soft dynamics, where maintaining clarity and tone quality is challenging. Additionally, quick transitions between dynamics, such as from ppp to fff, require agility and control. Exaggerating these dynamic changes during practice can help develop the necessary skill to execute them effectively in performance.

Pedalling

Pedalling is integral to Debussy’s sound world. Debussy’s own recordings and markings can serve as a guide, but your ear should be the final judge. You can also experiment with the timing of your pedal changes to find the right balance between legato and harmonic clarity. Sometimes, a slightly delayed pedal can enhance the legato without blurring.

Different pedalling techniques can be used in a nuanced manner to create the desired effects of colour and texture. For example, half pedalling can be used to achieve clarity whilst allowing for some resonance to be retained. Quick flutter pedalling enables the sound to be refreshed without fully clearing the pedal in passages with rapid harmonic changes. The una corda pedal can also be used to create softer, more muted tones in delicate sections.

New Resources

Feux d’artifice, No. 12 from Preludes, Book 2

Feux d’artifice (Fireworks) is the final piece of Debussy’s second book of Preludes, and the most overtly flashy. Paul Roberts asserts that “virtuoso music should sound and look daring,” and that Feux d’artifice “is audacious in every sense, musically, technically, and theatrically.” Indeed, the music seems to not only depict actual fireworks but also embodies the notion of pianistic fireworks.

In his full video lesson on the Online Academy, Fred Karpoff demonstrates how to clear the many hurdles of this piece with ease, ranging from imaginative retaking of notes to facilitate jumps, arpeggios, and glissandi to producing sparkling sound, clarity, and daring sonic and pedalling effects.

La cathédrale engloutie, No. 10 from Preludes, Book 1

La cathédrale engloutie (The Sunken Cathedral) from the first book of Preludes, is one of Debussy’s most popular and well-known works. Inspired by a Breton legend where a sunken cathedral rises above the ocean before receding, Debussy created a piece filled with grandeur, mystery and majesty. Pentatonic and modal scales, dynamic extremes, and playing of sevenths and chords with open intervals all contribute to the engrossing landscape of this extraordinary piece. 

Fred Karpoff’s full in-depth lesson on La cathédrale engloutie covers how to create a wide tonal palette, interpret the composer’s oft-misunderstood meter markings, pedal imaginatively, and much more, and is available on the Online Academy here.

La puerta del Vino, No. 3 from Preludes, Book 2

La Puerta del Vino (The Gate of Wine) refers to the traditional meeting place of the Romani people of Granada – one of the entrances to the Alhambra Palace. The composer had received a postcard of the famous gate, supposedly from Manuel de Falla, and told Alfred Cortot, “I will do something with that.”

Debussy responded with a colourful work overflowing with Spanish sentiment, including an incessant habañera rhythm and flamenco-like melodies, “with sudden contrasts of extreme violence and passionate tenderness.”

Click here to view a Fred’s Karpoff’s performance of the work, video lesson and to download his marked score!

Further Resources

If you’d like to explore Debussy’s piano music in more detail, our repertoire library contains several resources for some of his most popular works in addition to the new videos and marked scores listed above:

• Préludes (video lessons with marked scores)
  • Brouillards, No.1, Book 2
  • Bruyères, No.5, Book 2
  • Canope, No.10, Book 2
• The Girl with the Flaxen Hair, No. 8 from Preludes, Book 1 (walk-through and annotated study edition)
• Clair de lune, No. 3 from Suite bergamasque, L75 (video lesson also with marked score)
• Other video lessons
  • Arabesque No. 2 from Deux arabesques, L66
  • Page d’album, L133