Lev Pouishnov: Debussy Arabesque No. 1 (1922)

[luengaga1978]

If someone has seen PBS in the 1990s there was a show late night about a man who showed astronomy and this was the theme of that show. Can someone tell what was the name of the program

[Nickelplate1]

I remember that show! It is where I first fell in love with Debussy's 1st Arabesque. The man in the beginning walked on Saturn's rings. Oh what was it called.....

Jack Hokheimer: Star Gazer?

[r1ngu]

Yea! I believe that was the show. And i just checked Wikipedia and it says that the theme songs was Arabesque 1.

[caramel2436]

star hustler was the name of the show.

[jcmoney111]

yeah that is how I discovered this song:)

[WAYSMEANS]

I remember those astronomy shorts. In Philadelphia, they were on really late at night, and as a teenager I would watch them after Dr. Who on Friday nights. The guy was just so interested in astronomy, that you almost felt compelled to watch, even though he was speaking with the enthusiasm that only a true astronomer could muster. I wonder where he is today.

I've played this Arabesque on the piano (nothing like this quality) and it is a delight when you need a little pick-me-up.

[CarlosArielVarela]

Ví el disco en una disquería on-line, habian varias grabaciones de Debussy en rollos de pianola y 2 o 3 canciones suyas con el al piano y una soprano.

[CarlosArielVarela]

Es Debussy el que interpreta, grabó un rollo de pianola

[enak1989]

como sabes q es debussy ?? yo no creo

[MayadaJeffery]

Is there a place to hear Debussy play Debussy?

[texanleprechaun]

Debussy lived from 1862-1918, so I'm afraid we can't. That would be an amazing experience

[1ady1ove1y]

that would be beyond amazing...i wonder

[rovedfredo006]

this is an amazing and impressive interpretation, full of emotion and creativity. But nowadays, this sort of interpretation wouldn't be apreciated in the conservatories. Our society is so blind with rules.

Is it debussy himself who is playing or Lev Pouishnov ? 'cause I don't understand.

[max31416]

Is this really Pouishnov? How can a 1922 recording have such high sound quality? Sounds good, anyway.

[duhhh86]

for the umpteenth time, the answer is "piano roll recording"...

[conciencia21]

To anyone that can play this glorious piece, please play it when you are in love and you will see how much more you can get out of it.

[belagogona]

EMOTIONS IS REAL SO I LIKE THIS VERSION

[enak1989]

una pregunta . quien interpreta esta version?? responder pliss

[shrinkingglasses]

Lev Pouishnov, lo pone en el título del video.

[ErinXmooXmoo]

this versions to fast! but i love debussys one

[vickiellis77]

Love it! But should it really be this fast?

[nickdaquick06]

this isn't debussy dude.....it says right at the top....Lev Pouishnov is playing the piano.

[maci25]

It sounds when a child learning how to play that, or when a confused player playing it.:(

[dotchoo]

it's all about art, honey. lol

[duhhh86]

maci25, if it were a child playing, he'd be a total prodigy. very mature in his interpretation. what a prodigy. haha.

[duhhh86]

the most beautiful thing about debussy's music is the constant flow and movement that underlies it, even in the most silent of passages. rhythm should not constrict this flow.

[bellehetbees]

This interpretation I have never heard indeed. He's one of my favourite composers and I cannot believe this is debussy. An arabesque has to be in perfect rythm, my teacher would very much not approve if I played like that. But it sounds very impressionistic. It's really confusing

[deglazenstatter]

Wow, I really think you should get another teacher then. Sounds to me like he's living in 1750. Debussy is one of the best composers for free interpretation. Playing this peace in a perfect rythm would completely kill its potential. Try to imagine whatever you want, while playing this piece, discover the round feeling of its composition.

[esojbar]

I agree completely. And I don't even think that he used to play a piece always in the same way. It's not like Bach or Mozart.

[cesarcui]

Quite interresting to notice that until people started PLAYING with a metronome... it means not before Brahms for sure... the musicians were clearly not having a steady tempo as we consider it today... Musicians would be really surprised at the conception of rythm in the XVIII century! I lot different than what most musicians think it should be!

[dotchoo]

u might wanna tell ur teacher that ur not a machine an theres no point in playing it yourself unless you make it original. you can make a computer do it instead

[yengzzz]

me too.... my teacher told me to keep the piece slow and dramatic.... with just few fast parts...i'm confused too... because this is supposed to be an arabesque, a fast one.... but anyway, it depends on how one interprets the music...

[Bionana121]

I lurrrrrrrrve this. The music sounds good, and is good.

[Relaaya1]

Wow, I had no idea about the piano roll. Thanks for the info.

[itschantal]

sounds beautiful...it does sound very fast at times but it works.

im learning it too and i cant wait to play it as well!

[krnprincessnj]

I'm playing this right now

[well learning it]

and i'm really enjoying

this makes me even more excited then I already am :D

[nathanlds]

He plays this so weird! I play this piece every single time I sit down at a piano.. which is a lot. It's almost become like my warm up piece.

Go Debussy!

[toxicleo]

amazing

[loyuit]

great

[uigrad]

The album subtitle is "Debussy plays Debussy". A reviewer says:

From what I can see and hear, several of the tracks are not of rolls attributed to Debussy, but to the likes of Rudolph Ganz and Walter Gieseking (great as they were, not Debussy). The piano roll speed at times seems implausibly fast....

[ConFuocoPiano]

You know, the more I think of this performance, the more I realize the genius of Debussy. Where, oh where is his creative spirit now? Our present day classical music education is producing robots!

[gershwindoyle]

sounds like its in a concert hall

[JJKjaer]

Very strange. It sounds like he sometimes gets electric shocks while playing. Like he has problems with controlling his fingers.

[AndersAnd123]

Haha, you are so right. It really sounds like he is about to have a heartattack. Very agreessive performance at times. I'm not convinced that it actually is Debussy.

[Bionana121]

Precisely. Very Wild Playing. I don't think that's Debussy. He won't play like that.

[PianoRon]

I like the bass line starting in 3rd measure and there are several other things that I like. Overall, however, is weird.