Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 08/10/2011, uploaded on 02/20/2012

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Claude Debussy composed his two books of preludes during a remarkably brief period—the first, between December 1909 and February 1910; and the second, during roughly the same period in 1912-13. Though totaling twenty-four in number between the two books, Debussy’s preludes do not follow the precedent established by J. S. Bach’s ubiquitously known Well-Tempered Clavier (namely, a prelude in each of the major and minor keys) and imitated by several other composers, including Frédéric Chopin, Charles-Valentin Alkan, and Sergei Rachmaninoff. However, this does not mean that Debussy’s preludes are without order, and the relationships that can be found among them indicate that their published order was, to a certain extent, quite purposeful, yet also designed with a degree of inherent flexibility. Debussy, in keeping with the artistic philosophy of his day, also composed each prelude with specific scene or image in mind. Yet, to partially disguise these intents from the listener and to allow his audience to discover them of their own accord, Debussy craftily placed his titles at the end of each prelude. Performance practice of the preludes varies. Early performances, even by Debussy himself, established a precedent of grouping the prelude in threes or fours, allowing performers to pick those in which they perhaps are most comfortable. However, some performers also choose to perform each book in their entirety.

The last of Debussy’s 24 preludes, Feux d’artifice (“Fireworks”) is also the most technically challenging. It depicts a brilliant and spectacular fireworks display over Paris, and captures in tones the many furious streaks of rockets and their colorful explosions in the night sky. Sweeping runs, outlining two major thirds a semitone apart, open the prelude, perhaps depicting the anticipation of the audience, while isolated tones, like little points of light, sound in the upper register of the piano. The texture of the piece grows ever thicker and more complex and colors abound as the harmonies, figurations and dynamics change to give representation to the wondrous display and patterns of colored light. At its close, the visual display begins to slowly fade away. Over a tremolo in the bass a brief quote of La Marseillaise is heard before the last flashes of color.     Joseph DuBose

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Feux d'artifice, from Préludes, Book II    Claude Debussy

Claude Debussy’s two books of Preludes, implying homage to both Chopin and Bach, revel in the composer’s innovative piano techniques. Among French music’s most avant-garde expressions, they also contain some of Debussy’s most atonal sorties. The second book was published in 1913.

With a multitude of rhythms, melodies and abrupt surprises, Feux d'artifice displays the lavish “bouquet” that comes at the end of a fireworks show, so vividly reflected on the waters of the Seine during Bastille Day celebrations. La Marseillaise appears as an atomized aphorism.        Tanya Gabrielian

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.