Claude Debussy (1862-1918): "Danseuses de Delphes"

[drizzy8450]

This man was a freakin' genius!

[Nahsum]

perfection at his purest form

[goalsformary]

soft, sweet, and quite chilling.

[tokumas]

It's somehow a bit Jazzy and i think it is because of the chord progression he chose.

[javiikiller]

I'm starting to listen Debussy but I'm very impressed and excited with this.

He's a fantastic composer.

[phalanster]

amazing sound for this time!

[paulfbest]

This is Debussy on piance 1905 piano rolll

Whata poetic genius,,he does the finerst on all his pieces cpmpared to Pommier, Roge..Yet on Arabesque, the one I find best of all, is Virol,,here on youtube,,she is 10 yrs old at time of video,,UNREAL

Go there now.

Debussy plays with such a timless sense, old world charm.

What a great soul,, He gave the world powerful beauty, which, sadly, so few hear.

VIROL, arabesque1.

[Zodiarkz]

I'm not sure I'm reading the info right, so is this actually Debussy playing?

[oldorgan]

@Zodiarkz

yes on to a player piano roll.

the roll is played back on an authentically reconstructed player piano.

About as close as you can get.

[HalSamuel]

I played piano for a year when I was nine, and I basically haven't touched it since, but recently I decided to learn a piece, and I've been able to pick it up so well that I'm feeling quite confident in my abilities. Do you think I'm setting myself to large a challenge with this one? It seems to me that this is a very simple piece technically, and the real skill lies in the expression.

[bergeronf]

Nothing is impossible! Be meticulous and care for what you do. People will pick up on this and will fall deeply in love with whatever you express.

[HalSamuel]

I love how simple and satisfying this piece of music. It think what I like about it is that it's not overly beautiful or light, it's got some earthy elements to the way the melody is put together.

[fazxs]

Played this song back in grade 8 for my level 10 RCM exam. Beautiful, enchanting peice.

[88Woland]

Debussy is GREAT!!!! Whoever wrote the "wizard's brew..."" put it the way i really like..

[Fuglebolle]

"He stirs a wizard's brew of exotic brilliance and divine strength."

I guess that's one way of putting it.

[nostalgiacreep]

often for me, in great creative endeavours, the image of a wizard seems appropriate. on the one hand we see great knowledge, power and control - and on the other, these are wielded to stir awesome and evocative results. the clinical implictaions of constant practice are transcended, and a great emotional literacy and soulfullnes are powerfully suggested.

debussy is my absolute favourite composer. : )

[zamba00mamba]

king of the hogs

[LittleCatBead]

First of all, Romantism is not a word. Secondly, Debussy is a known Impressionist. Thirdly, if this is boring to you, perhaps stick to something easier to handle. For instance: Akon, or Gavin Degraw. Debussy is not for everyone. He stirs a wizard's brew of exotic brilliance and divine strength.

[erwydd]

Technically, Impressionism isn't a word...

"I am trying to do 'something different' in a way realities what the imbeciles call 'impressionism' is a term which is as poorly used as possible, particularly by art critics."

[ChopinBuddy1231989]

Thank you! For my music history class this year I wrote an essay about the struggles Debussy encountered throughout his life, defending his music from the term 'Impressionism'. I used the above quote(which I love) as an introduction to my essay. It just seems convenient for people to say that his music is 'impressionistic'...how sad.

[bergeronf]

I don't think it's sad. As great as Debussy was, he probably took himself a little too seriously at times, like the rest of us.

[flugelmaniac]

hello d60944,

could you expand a little on what you mean by

'over expressive angst' and where you feel this is typically encountered?

[d60944]

I am passing contemporary opinion:

Monde Musical (May 1910): "Is there a pianist ahow possesses a more beautiful sound than Debussy"

Guide Musical (April 1914): "...free of every mannerism and it surprises one by its simplicity. There is never any underlining of harmonic subtleties. The melodic lines are designed in thin strokes and the rhythmic alterations [rubato?] don't vainly declare themselves. The great simplicity, which at first was disconcerting, soon seduced me." (cont.)

[d60944]

Alfredo Casella: "His sensibility of touch was incomperable. He gave the impression of playing directly on the strings of the instrument with no intermediary mechanism..."

The prevailing impression is backed up by many other writings by associates and pupils of Debussy. Perhaps the distinction is better made by emphasizing a certain lack of demonstrativeness in Debussy's playing (the opposite approach to that of a pianist such as Hambourg perhaps).

[d60944]

I'm very sorry - I accidentally removed your comment! Finger slip and Youtube doesn't give you a warning about deletionss :-( Anyway, I guess the second answer is that I see overexpressive angst in particular in recording by a pianist like Mark Hambourg (eg the Hungarian Rhapsodies).

[superbemaison]

Heelo

Where can I get this cd please.?

G m from Belgium

[pianopera]

Indeed this roll sounds quite convincing for a change!