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Home > Debussy, Claude Achille > 2 Arabesques > Première arabesque E-Dur

Debussy, Claude Achille : 2 Arabesques Première arabesque E-Dur

Work Overview

Music ID : 22362
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:pieces
Total Playing Time:4 min 00 sec
Copyright:Public Domain

Commentary (2)

Author : Shiraishi, Yuriko

Last Updated: November 6, 2019
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Translation in Progress

Author : Ooi, Kazurou

Last Updated: August 4, 2021
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Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

First, one must understand French music. This piece is often given to beginners of French music, making it relatively easy to play. However, before attempting it, it is advisable to study French music.  

A characteristic feature of French music is its evocation of watercolors. It involves pictorial rather than psychological depiction. Furthermore, it suggests blurred lines, akin to a watercolor painting, rather than sharply defined ones. How does this influence the music? Fundamentally, the touch is not a harsh, marcato-like one, but rather a sweet and soft touch. Instead of frequently changing the pedal to create a clean sound, one should avoid excessive pedal changes, prioritize the bass over slight blurring, and aim for a rich, layered sonority.  

From the beginning, triplets appear. These triplets should never be played marcato, like a machine gun, but rather with a soft touch and absolutely no force. The pedal should be used continuously. Generally, consider one pedal per chord. In measures 1-2, the pedal should be changed every two beats, each time the chord changes. The same applies to measures 3-4. In measure 5, since there is one chord throughout the measure, sustain the lowest note, B (H in German notation), with the pedal. Although there is a ritardando and the tempo will slow slightly, change the pedal in measure 5 only if the resulting blurring becomes absolutely unbearable. At least for beats 1-3, keep the pedal depressed. When entering beat 4, you may change the pedal depending on the situation.  

Furthermore, this type of music frequently employs rubato. Never approach it with the metronomic precision of classical music. For example, in measures 6-7, the goal note of this phrase is D-sharp (Dis) in the right hand of measure 7; therefore, play the triplets in one continuous sweep towards it. Once the triplets begin from beat 2 of measure 6, propel the music forward without stopping until the D-sharp on beat 2 of measure 7. Upon reaching D-sharp, then pull the music back and relax the tempo.  

In measures 26-27, the bass A in the left hand on beat 1 of measure 26 should be sustained with the pedal for two measures. Keeping the pedal depressed will cause some blurring in the inner voice triplets. However, such a degree of blurring is acceptable in French music. In fact, the loss of the sustained bass by changing the pedal would be a greater detriment.  

In measure 41, many performers change the pedal on beat 2, but since the bass E on beat 1 should be sustained, the pedal should not be changed for the entire measure.

Writer: Ooi, Kazurou

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