Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 11/23/2016, uploaded on 05/29/2017

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.

Closing the first half of Book I is Das pas sur la neige (“Footprints in the snow”). It is a deeply melancholic piece, portraying a bleak winter landscape. Indeed, Debussy’s music seems overly wrought and leaves the listener to wonder if the outward scene suggested by the title is actually a reflection of an inner torment. Nevertheless, the prelude is built upon an ostinato figure that is hardly absent from a single measure. This figure, harmonically situated upon the tonic and rising laboriously upward to the minor third, creates a hypnotic effect, suggesting both the desolate snow-covered landscape and its psychological effect upon the implied protagonist of Debussy’s music. Atop the figure, a fragmented, melancholy melody is heard, which likewise struggles to find its own aim, but continuously dissolves into a bleak hopelessness. The prelude’s climax arrives just before its conclusion as a phrase heard at the beginning gathers a last earnest resolve to break the destitute trance. Inevitably, the music recedes back to the dismal landscape and in hushed tones the listener perceives the footsteps disappearing into the distance.       Joseph DuBose

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Des pas sur la neige: (Footsteps in the Snow) was composed in December of 1909 as one of four preludes from both Book I and II. Debussy explores all twelve semitones in the octave throughout this piece and made use of many different modes to depict his views and impressions.

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.