How To Teach Debussy Arabesque No. 1

Today we're talking about how to teach the first Arabesque by Claude Debussy. It is a beautiful piece that early advanced piano students love playing, but it's not without some serious challenges. Jennifer Linn's book, Les Petites Impressions, can be bought here: amzn.to/3pdLfMH The Schirmer Performance Edition that I use in the video can be bought here: amzn.to/3uUpsgu
Quickly evaluate the difficulty of any single piece with my free Repertoire Difficulty Worksheet! www.jannawilliamson.com/blog/...
Looking for more support as a piano teacher? Check out my Resources page here www.jannawilliamson.com/resou...
Follow me on social media here:
Instagram: / jannaonpiano
Facebook: / jannawilliamsonpiano
The above are Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a product link and make a purchase, Janna will receive a small commission.
0:00 Introduction
2:03 Measure 6 and polyrhythms
4:49 Recommendation of easier piece
7:00 Arpeggios and understanding harmony
8:34 Chord voicing and balance
8:56 Soft dynamics
10:59 Damper pedal use
11:32 Debussy's expressive markings

[@aarongorn_1309]

I've always been amazed at how differently everyone plays this piece. I think that's why I love it so much.

[@carlosreyesf19]

I'm working on this piece right now. A piece that helped me to grasp the polyrythm is Opening, by Philip Glass. It's repetitive so I could focus on the rythm without thinking too much on a melody. After that, playing the polyrythm in the Arabesque is pretty straightforward.

[@JannaWilliamson]

I don’t know that piece, but I’ll look it up. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for watching!

[@whatever9418]

Thanks! Great piece and it looks like an excellent place for me to get started practicing 3:2.

[@henrymoonrabbit]

hey, me too!

[@christianwagenseil9621]

right, I played 'Opening' years ago and now that I'm practicing the Arabesque, it comes to my mind again

[@henrymoonrabbit]

@@christianwagenseil9621 wow funny how parallel everyone’s curriculum was!

[@natalyahennings1085]

Thank you for the tip of the music Le Petite Impressions by Jennifer Linn!

[@JannaWilliamson]

You're welcome! You will LOVE those pieces!

[@alannareid7419]

Thank you so much. My pupil has been really struggling and now I realise it’s probably too difficult, and yet he’s got half way down the second page v well. This has been really helpful

[@JannaWilliamson]

I'm glad you found it helpful! Please download my Rperrtoire Difficulty Worksheet here: www.jannawilliamson.com/blog/how-to-evaluate-repertoire-difficulty

[@alannareid7419]

@@JannaWilliamson thank you so much. What a miracle that I found you!

[@marisasmusicstudio]

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing.

[@ksk40]

so many helpful suggestions on technique！thank you so much ma'am.

[@DiscoverPianoTV]

I love the Jennifer Linn book! I have had great success with that book as a prerequisite to Debussy. Great video!

[@FrederickViner]

Wonderful video, full of useful insights! I adore the Jennifer Linn piece too and will be featuring it in an upcoming video of mine. Keep up the good work!

[@JannaWilliamson]

Thanks for your comment! I'm so glad you know Jennifer's pieces!

[@cmopro]

Very nice info...I played this for a recital in college...I will re-learn this...

[@RalucaBojor]

I love the 2-against-3 B major scale trick! I never thought of that before. I've only used tapping the hands on knees. I'm gonna use your trick in the future!

[@JannaWilliamson]

This scale exercise is part of the Illinois AIM curriculum, so students have to do it regardless. It was when I started taking students through AIM that I discovered the benefits of doing that!

[@AlexVH2012]

I just working on that piece by myself and I feel that I getting a lot of progress on the piano. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@JannaWilliamson]

You are welcome! Happy practicing.

[@KasoProductions]

Excellent Video!

[@PIANO128]

Great video thanks so much for your help

[@JannaWilliamson]

You're welcome!

[@StygianPlatypus]

Great video! In a world where jump cuts are king, it’s nice to see a one-take video packed with content that flows well.

[@JannaWilliamson]

Ha! I just don't have time to edit!

[@amandajeffs7597]

This is really helpful! Will definitely be watching your other videos. Subscribed ☺️

[@JannaWilliamson]

Thanks for watching! I have loads of additional resources for teachers at this site: www.jannawilliamson.com/resources

[@CarlosAcevedoMX]

Excellent video; very good information.

[@JannaWilliamson]

Thank you!

[@martinlee5604]

Thank you very much. I have watched your video as a 65-year-old intermediate player, not as a teacher, but I have found it very useful.

[@AltoonaYourPiano]

I've always loved this piece, it's especially challenging to teach because everyone has their own interpretations and visions of how it should sound, more so than many other pieces. To me, it's "supposed to" sound like how Isao Tomita played it as I'd hear it in the Star Hustler theme song (American astronomy show that aired in the 80's and 90's). At the same time, I recognize my interpretation is quite a bit unconventional. Anyways, you're really awesome! I love your outfit, it looks very beautiful and stylish, and I love your short hairstyle, too, it looks really pretty!

[@davyboyo]

Darn this channel is so helpful 😍

[@JannaWilliamson]

Thank you! More info here: www.jannawilliamson.com/blog/how-to-teach-debussys-arabesque-no1

[@pablol.6745]

I love u. From Guatemala 🇬🇹

[@JannaWilliamson]

Other videos covering pieces by Debussy: Clair de lune, part 1: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5S9haytittofpo Clair de lune, part 2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXOTqY2hhp55b5Y Reverie: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKOtc3t8q9aYhck

[@yikmowong5633]

Very inspiring video! Have you considered doing Arabesque No. 2 as well?

[@i.ehrenfest349]

Lovely video - if you keep up putting out these videos, I’d predict your channel would become pretty big. This is good stuff.

[@JannaWilliamson]

Thank you! I do plan to keep creating. The last few weeks I needed to take a break, but perhaps I'll get one up this week!

[@i.ehrenfest349]

@@JannaWilliamson No hurry. You’ll get there, I’m sure.

[@christianwagenseil9621]

check out 'Opening' (from 'Glassworks') by Philip Glass, great piece for learning the 3:2 (right-left)

[@Mr35diamonds]

I really like this piece. Been learning some impressionistic pieces from Ravel (Jeax d’eau) and Debussy Clair de Lune. Certainly a stark relief from Rachmaninoff and others.

[@JannaWilliamson]

As pianists, we are blessed to have wonderful repertoire representing so many historical eras and styles! When you tire of Debussy and Ravel you can go back to Rachmaninoff. 😊

[@timmalmros2692]

I chose this as my first classical peice to learn. It’s been quite a journey...

[@JannaWilliamson]

I bet!

[@ngatihine6072]

I've been practising brahms lieder von ewiger liebe. In it, there's a great interlude with a 2 against 3 ployrhythm.

[@JannaWilliamson]

There are so many polyrhythms in Brahms! That's a good place to practice them.

[@HBSC_06]

Very interesting video. I'm having piano lessons for 7 months and I'm playing since 1 year and 3 months. I finished this piece 1 month ago and I can say that after 1 year hard work I mastered this piece and I can play it like an very advanced pianist. I have to say, that I have no problems playing with both hands also different patterns. I'm generally a person that learns very quick, if I'm interested in it. Now I broke my right wrist and I can't play for 1 month. I'm very sad. Good luck for all learning this wonderfull piece. PS: I'm german, sorry for my bad english...

[@ajaykanda4910]

I do not have any experience with the piano or do I know how to read notes but I was able to memorize the entire song and can execute all of the polyrhythms correctly. Took me around four months to perfect!

[@LeonardoAT87]

Liar

[@adrienneparks9791]

❣️

[@lanmichaelmix2818]

2:30 pleas help,i have tried several fingerings for the right hand.The left hand scale is easy to me but the right hand is abit tricky i can't focus both hand well,i can play it right but the change i play wrong note(right hand) is pretty high up to 50%.Can you help mr right hand fingering?

[@giancarlochoym]

I'm just finishing Chopin's Nocturne in C# Minor Op. Posth B.49. Is the Arabesque 1 a good fit as a next piece to work on?

[@JannaWilliamson]

I have a video on that Nocturne too! I think you could certainly try this Arabesque. It’s longer and in a very different style, but there are some transferable skills for sure. 😊 kzbin.info/www/bejne/npDHhJ-qqc6FqKM

[@victorfabianveravillalobos3539]

She is adorable...

[@pedroallen2906]

I wanted a teacher like that 🤭

[@RalucaBojor]

Right? Me too. Janna is awesome!!

[@mariankaser6350]

Janna, I love your videos. I have a middle school student who love impressionistic music and smallish hands. What would be the earliest impressionistic piece you would recommend. She can do 2 against 3 and has completed the Jennifer Linn Impressionist book. (She learned Moonshadows on the Mountain in 2 weeks). What would you suggest next? She wants to learn Reverie but not sure if it's too much with her hand size.

[@JannaWilliamson]

Hand size would definitely be a problem for Reverie and Girl With the Flaxen Hair, unfortunately. Some of Children's Corner is probably doable - what about The Little Shepherd? Also, have you looked at this book for non-Debussy possibilities? amzn.to/3IKKClj

[@edithrollanborbon3850]

Would you please let me know the title of the piece that you would give as a precursor to Debussy’s Arabesque 1 and the book title as well. It’s part of a collection and you showed the book as well. Thank you!

[@JannaWilliamson]

The piece is Moonshadows on the Mountain from Jennifer Linn's book titled Les Petites Impressions. amzn.to/3pdLfMH Thank you for watching! :)

[@edithrollanborbon3850]

Thank you very much Janna. Please keep on posting similar videos!

[@JannaWilliamson]

@@edithrollanborbon3850 I’m planning to keep it up! Let me know if you have specific pieces you’d like me to discuss.

[@semperreg]

I found this piece difficult. Start with Chopin op 66 for 2 against 3 (takes 1 week).

[@JannaWilliamson]

You are not alone - this piece is difficult!

[@cheesyptp]

Can't really hear her voice! Piano's clear.

[@JannaWilliamson]

This was one of the first videos I made. Please check out my most recent work for improved audio quality.

[@classiconservator2795]

У меня Дебюсси переводится в субтитрах как туалет

[@maxiapalucci2511]

I learned this as a beginner...... lol

[@AndreCbrito]

My take away... I'm way too far away from being able to play this piece

[@JannaWilliamson]

That's ok! Let me know if you need suggestions on pieces to play in the meantime.

[@roberton9008]

Too much talking