Arabesque No. 1 in E major

Claude Debussy · Level 4 (Intermediate) · Impressionist · Piano

The first of the Two Arabesques (1888–1891), an early work by Debussy: flowing triplets that undulate like an ornamental line. A piece by Debussy, a leading figure of musical Impressionism. E major, 4/4, 107 bars (about 7 minutes), complete score.

▶ Play this piece with the interactive score

How to practise it

• Listen first: the site plays it while the score scrolls.
• Wait mode: the score waits for you at every note, at your own pace.
• Tempo challenge: play in time, with a score and a map of the bars you got right.
• The right-hand triplets against the left-hand eighths must stay supple: listen to the line, not the bar. Fine, frequently changed pedal and very soft dynamics: look for colours rather than power. Key signature with 4 sharps: name them aloud before playing and spot the places where accidentals cancel them. One hand sometimes plays two voices: hold the long notes for their full value and let the main line sing louder than the accompaniment.

More pieces by Claude Debussy

• Danseuses de Delphes (Préludes, Book I, No. 1)
• Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir (Préludes, Book I, No. 4)
• Deuxième Arabesque (L66 No.2)
• Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum (Children’s Corner No. 1)
• Jimbo’s Lullaby (Children’s Corner No. 2)
• Sarabande (Pour le piano No. 2)
• Valse romantique
• Clair de lune (Suite bergamasque)

Source : Mutopia Project · Public Domain