Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 10/02/2019, uploaded on 03/24/2020

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Notes the pianist Hélène Tysman prepared for her October 2, 2019 Dame Myra Hess concert in Chicago:

I like to say music always tells a story. What is yours?

When Debussy composed his works, he wrote titles. Sometimes he was inspired by a picture, sometimes by a landscape, other times by a story or something even more subtle: the rain, the water, a tempest. When he composed the 24 Préludes(just before his death and before the First World War), he wrote the titles at the end of each Prelude, in brackets. Why? Because he said it was a starting point to him and though he liked to link the music to a story or an image, he invited the listener to create its own title, picture or story on it. Debussy was more than an impressionist. He was also influenced by Edgar Allan Poe and by Poe’s fantastic literature. 

How fantastic is your story? Your life? How does it come to resonate with you?

As different as Bach, Debussy and Ravel were, they had something in common. Each were thinking of other instruments while they composed the pieces on today’s program. Of course Bach didn’t know the modern piano. However, this is the magic of the instrument: you can create sounds that resemble a harpsichord, choir, orchestra, flute, or harp, until Debussy and Ravel encountered sounds from Asia such as the gamelan and their works were later influenced by these Asian instruments. Ravel who came just after Debussy was a master of orchestration: he was looking for magic! Of course he was also inspired by images and transcending pianism, but not in the same style as Debussy. Regarding Bach, we forget how much freedom is in his music. His compositions are known to be the most sophisticated, brilliant and perfect mathematic organization of harmony, rhythm and counterpoint. During Bach’s time, all musicians were assumed to be well versed with music theory that they could freely add their personal ornamentations, improvisations and tempo. I believe the Partita No. 1 in B-Flat Major, was composed to honor the keyboard, to enjoy playing with it (in all the meanings of playing) and to dance to it (music was also for dancing at this time).

Chopin composed almost exclusively for the piano. He is the only composer to have such a high level of focus on a single instrument. His music is the experience of perfect harmony, equilibrium, elegancy and melody from the Italian Bel Canto. Chopin’s native Polish culture is everywhere in his works revealing itself as nostalgic, sometimes more present and joyful. Waltz rhythms are always an important element, especially in the Ballade No. 3, Op. 47 in A-Flat Major. As Bach, his music seems to be danced, Chopin introduced colors in his harmonies. Debussy and Ravel were inspired by Bach as well and it’s said that God himself was inspired by Bach! What if time doesn’t exist anymore and all these composers meet each other in a same space, bringing you through your own journey? Enjoy this moment!  

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.