Ariel Lanyi plays Debussy: Images, Book II

www.ariellanyi.com
Written in 1907, the second volume of Images is the last of Debussy’s triptychs for piano, following Pour le piano (1901), Estampes (1903), and the first volume of Images (1901-1905). From then on, his piano works would take on a much larger and panoramic scale, as heard in the Preludes and Études. In the second volume of Images, we hear the composer drifting away from the style of his earlier piano works, and incorporating elements from his orchestral and vocal music. The way in which Debussy negates the texture of melody+accompaniment in favor of a more transparent system where each line, no matter how monotonous or simple, plays an integral part in the unique polyphony heard almost only in Debussy’s works, is reminiscent of the composer’s earlier orchestral music, notably La mer. In addition, the near-declamatory character of many of the rhythmic patterns in the two slow movements (Cloches à travers les feuilles and Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut) is heard in much of his vocal music. Hence, one can say that the second volume of Images is not a particularly “pianistic” work.
There are, of course, many reasons as to why this work is so masterful, and as always with the greatest art, one cannot entirely pinpoint its greatness. However, two aspects of the second volume of Images are, in my view, particularly noteworthy. The first is the sheer richness of the harmonic language: each movement has its own distinct harmonic characteristics, and yet, there is so much cohesiveness between the three movements. The first two movements are, harmonically, the most daring, with the composer calling into question the very concept of tension and resolution, leaving the listener in suspense for extended periods of time. The second aspect is the frugality with which Debussy writes: at a time when composers were pushing the boundaries of expansiveness and scope, writing works seemingly unprecedented in (large) size, Debussy went in the opposite direction. In the second movement, the notes are so sparse that we sometimes feel as though they are overwhelmed by the pauses and the space between them. Yet by using the declamatory nature of his vocal works, the transparent textures of his orchestral works, and by conceiving an open-ended harmonic language, where every answer is also in fact a question, and vice versa, Debussy made sure that not a single note would appear needlessly on the page.
Cloches à travers les feuilles: 00:03
Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut: 04:49
Poissons d'or: 11:05
Recorded at 30 Pavilion Road in Knightsbridge, London, for the Imogen Cooper Music Trust in October 2021.

[@tatyanachistova4301]

Bravo! Thank you, Ariel, this is amazing, what you do! True magic✨

[@bertcarter6176]

The sound you produce here is just lovely! Very enjoyable performance! It has been a joyous privilege to watch you grow as a musician! As always, I wish you continued success in your career!

[@claudiaparada3300]

the sound just penetrates my soul

[@marysproulemanuel6848]

wow! thankyou for sharing, thankyou so much!💕🤓🌺 le mer

[@silvanahhas1814]

Thank you 🐇🙏 sweet, dark angel 🕊🤍

[@elizabethfaraone]

❤

[@mares3841]

💛

[@litoboy5]

great

[@PickleToothpaste]

Mazel Tov!