Debussy, Second Arabesque (piano solo)

Second Arabesque, by Claude Debussy, performed by Stephen Malinowski, accompanied by an animated graphical score.
FAQ ...

Q: What do the shapes mean?
A: The different note styles indicate the way the notes are used in the piece. The main 4-note motive (which begins the piece) is indicated with highlighted circles with black lines that are drawn to connect them as they are played. Other melodic material is shown with solid-color circles connected by thin colored lines. Static chords and notes (those which mostly function harmonically and not melodically) are shown with white ellipses surrounded by color.

Q: What do the colors mean?
A: Each pitch class (C, C-sharp, D, etc.) is assigned a color according to a system called "harmonic coloring" in which the colors of the "color wheel" are assigned to notes of the "circle of fifths." This system is described in more detail here:
http://www.musanim.com/mam/pfifth.htm
The result of using this method of coloring is that the changes in harmony can be seen (as a change in the "palette" of colors being used).

Q: What piano are you using?
A: This is a digital (software) piano made by Synthogy (distributed by ILIO), called Ivory II Italian Grand. This is the first piece I've used it on, so I'm still getting used to it (you'll notice an occasional chord that I played a little too loud). I may re-do this video with a better performance ...

Q: When and where was this performed?
A: In my studio in northern California, on New Year's Eve, 2011.

Category:

Music

[Meyermagic]

I like the separation of the melody, drawn with lines, and the chords, drawn standalone. Is this caused by the way the midi/mamplayer file is written, or is it a new feature?

[smalin]

@Meyermagic I don't use the (freeware, publicly-available) MAM MIDI Player software to make my videos (though I use something that's similar). The 4-note group (with heavy lines) is a feature I added to use in Contrapunctus 3 (a few weeks before this); the thin lines (for the rest of the melody notes) is a much older feature ... many years old.

[PianoDude1011]

what does arabesque mean?

[smalin]

@PianoDude1011 It can mean various things (see Wikipedia); I'm not sure which meaning (if any one in particular) Debussy had in mind.

[MissMiaLisette]

Did you perform all of these videos?

[smalin]

@MissMiaLisette  Not all. It usually says who the performer is; if it doesn't say, it's almost always me.

[eynadearie]

balloons ~~

[Invisiblegirlswatchn]

The graphics remind me of atoms...

[cymchen]

cute !!!

[kiralogy]

trying to study for a history test...my eyes always stuck to this incredibly beautiful video and my ears don't listen history, they stuck to this incredibly beautifully played music...:)

[TuriyaSurya]

really good in white bcground too... love

[MissMiaLisette]

@smalin Well you are an amazing pianist. Thank you or posting all of these videos, I enjoy them tremendously!