Debussy Estampes Explained: A-Level Seminar

Join Rachel Leach and pianist Phillip Moore, as they explore two movements of Debussy's Estampes: 'Pagodes' and 'A night in Grenade'; one of the set works for on the Edexcel A-Level Music syllabus 2018/2019. Produced by LSO Discovery.
Download the slides used in the presentation from:
lsostream.dh.by...

[@Bigblackpiano]

the pianist plays this very well...lovely lovely performance

[@davidsimkinsmusic]

Quick piece summaries for 'Pagodes' 14:37 and 'La Soiree dans Grenade' 33:09. Both summaries are then followed by a full performance of the works straight through, encouraging you to revise and recognise Debussy's genius.

[@kerserzthescientist8899]

Anyone noticed the description?😂 "A night in Grenade" - bet that was explosive!💣🤦🏻

[@derekpintozzi2498]

okay this was funny

[@sergiobarros4612]

I enjoy very much this kind of seminar!!!. Thanks a lot Rachel!! Brilliant!!!

[@artisuryavanshi7785]

Brilliantissisissississimo!!,!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Keep it up LSO

[@sigallamichel8840]

thank you, very helping for those who are alone and want to undersand how "Pagoges" has been composed. Especially some special and fantastic fragments. Isolation, bar by bar, melody by melody, is so helpful for understanding.Mes hommages à la Reine.

[@jorgesuarez7077]

Very nice format! Thanks so much.

[@lewisblake4104]

27:20 lmao when she says changes key 4 times

[@noormartin3374]

The presentation was very helpful and the pianist was great

[@pegwelt]

who is this pianist?! very good

[@LondonSymphonyOrchestra]

The pianist is Philip Moore

[@SunriseFireberry]

Wasn't this uploaded already? Just wondering.

[@LondonSymphonyOrchestra]

We live streamed it back in November - maybe you're remembering that? This is an edited version of that live event.

[@slobberdan8428]

The important thing about Debussy is not to butcher it. He composes often at pianissimo to get his chordal dissonance past the listener. Just respect the gentleness of Debussy.

[@madelinemaher5756]

Is there a way to cite this? Thanks so much

[@Bozothcow]

He plays this very dry because it's a demonstration. Watching this just for the performance is a bit odd. I came for the lecture lol

[@amydunne25]

I recognise the venue, but where is it again? Is it the Barbican or St. Luke's LSO?

[@LondonSymphonyOrchestra]

This was recorded at St Luke's.

[@amydunne25]

@@LondonSymphonyOrchestra Thank you!! Knew I recognised the venue!!

[@christophernorman8127]

Good accessible lecture for A level . Pianist looks a bit hostile, like he’s being forced to play against his wishes (!)….but plays really clearly which illustrates the points well. Any thing which helps our understanding of these magnificent pieces must be a good thing . Well done peeps👍

[@r.i.p.volodya]

I don't think you mentioned that the Habanera is actually a CUBAN dance.

[@HelloSpyMyLie]

False

[@alexandercoleman6622]

hey guys

[@netizencapet]

He should not be classified as an "Impressionist" as that sloppy designation lends no insight into his music, as the painterly premises have little bearing on his techniques or philosophy.

[@dzc46278]

Parallel chords rather than modulations and cadences??? Just not true. This lecture seems pretty clumsy and ill informed to me. Not everything is a rigid dichotomy between an endless cold valley of conservative tradition and the vibrant ideas of modernity.

[@8nayrb]

Wish I was smart enough to notice any thing wrong. I feel like pop music is too much for me.

[@lewisbulled6764]

I agree with you on that ONE point, however this is a very good lecture. It is an overview of the most important ideas of the piece, rather than a super in-depth analysis of it. It's awesome!

[@nathanturczan]

Completely agree. Parallel chords, modulations, cadences -- these three musical devices are not mutually exclusive! Debussy used them all

[@netizencapet]

Pianist is decidedly amateur; analysis is bare bones basic. Assumes almost no musical education on part of audience.

[@fargothbosmer2059]

Wish she could speak a little slower

[@alinasings]

u can slow down the pace of the video

[@ryanwangpianist8416]

This was good to help understand the music but the piano playing was...

[@btec.pigeon]

What’s wrong the the piano playing?

[@bret6484]

Fantastic? Flawless? Perfect??

[@slobberdan8428]

Not heard of many Japanese composers though; tend to lack creativity and originality , just copy what has already been created to a very high technical standard. Cars, microchips, phones you name it. This theme hasn’t changed in 150 years.

[@usaroman]

Very dry and brash, get a better presenter

[@williamvasudevan]

15:35 and 34:15 for the full performances

[@carbonc6065]

I've seen this three times now since it's been uploaded--thank you very much for the deep analysis!

[@prasakodees6306]

I think there's a lot of incorrect info here. The melody at 11.00 ish is definitely not a whole tone scale, the accompaniment does not fall into the whole scale. It's just a modified pentatonic scale with a different set of intervals.

[@OsvaCola]

A musical analysis of the highest level. Many points of doubt, from the comments, but I remember that musical analysis is not an exact science. Many points of view, and with everyone we learn better to see the beauty of a work. Congratulations Rachel Leach and pianist Phillip Moore.

[@warrengamameilhardin]

Thank you for posting this. I've loved Debussy for decades but there are always new ways to hear his work. This lecture is great.

[@ExxylcrothEagle]

I would only call him an "impressionist" on the exam if I was an imbecile

[@Sam-zj6mw]

She shouldn’t have brushed over the erroneous label of impressionist composer so flippantly; a far more fertile comparison would be with symbolist literature, eg Mallarme. “We expect you do call him an impressionist in the exam”. Well, don’t. Get your musicology right and expect better.

[@christophernorman8127]

Absolutement 👍🏿😊