Préludes, Book II

As he did in the First Book of piano Préludes, Debussy in the Second Book (1912-13) took trouble to include pieces that are quite easy to play. Two that demand professional virtuosity, however, are “Feux d’artifice” (Fireworks)—a cascade of keyboard effects suggesting whirling Catherine wheels and exploding rockets—and “Les tierces alternées” (Alternating Thirds), an abstract technical study. Elsewhere, memorable sounds are again conjured with simple means: the melancholy of “Feuilles mortes” (Dead Leaves) is conveyed in strange, free-floating harmony, while in “Brouillards” (Mists), simple chords and flickering figuration are superimposed in quiet, mysterious dissonance. “La puerta del Vino” (The Wine Gate), with its Spanish habañera dance rhythm, was inspired by a picture postcard sent from Granada by Debussy’s fellow composer Manuel de Falla. And “La terrasse des audiences au clair de lune” (The Spectator’s Terrace by Moonlight) is an evocation in sumptuous chord sequences of a nocturnal Indian scene, suggested by a newspaper report of King George V’s crowning as Emperor of India. About Debussy’s Préludes Debussy’s piano Préludes, composed between 1909 and 1913, were published in two books of 12 pieces each. They explore a range of moods and ideas, drawing on Debussy’s interests in literature, painting, classical antiquity and imaginary foreign lands; there are also sketch-like musical portraits, evocations of nature, and snapshot depictions of the surrounding world. Almost every Prélude is short, lasting less than four minutes; while some are technically difficult, most are easy enough for amateur pianists to enjoy playing. Each Prélude has a descriptive title placed at the end rather than the beginning, as if inviting a personal response to the music independently of the title itself.