Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 04/06/2011, uploaded on 10/03/2011

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

The title Estampes refers to images printed from engraved copper or wood plates. Pagodes (Pagodas) transports us to the Far East, and evokes the sound and images of an exotic Asian landscape. Throughout Debussy’s life, the images and sounds of the Far East inspired his imagination and creativity. In Pagodes, Debussy makes use of the pentatonic scale, as well as mimicking the sounds of Javanese Gamelan percussion.  Soirée dans Granade (Evening in Granada) is the first of three works by Debussy inspired by Spain, a country he never visited. Spanish composer Manuel de Falla said of Soirée dans Granade, "There is not even one measure of this music borrowed from Spanish folklore, and yet the entire composition in its most minute details, conveys admirably Spain.” Debussy saw the score of Ravel’s original two-piano version of Habañera following its first performance in 1898, and he paid subtle tribute to Ravel five years later by labeling Soirée dans Grenade as “Mouvement de Habañera.” Jardins sous la Pluie (Garden in the Rain) delicately weaves two French nursery songs. Chromatic, whole tone, major and minor scales are used throughout the piece.  This movement was apparently inspired by a scene described by the painter Jacques-Emile Blanche one rainy afternoon as he set out to draw a sketch of the composer.      Katsura Tanikawa

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.