Interpreting Debussy: Arabesque no 1 in E (tutorial)

Some thoughts about this popular early miniature masterpiece from Debussy.

[@hoot2416]

5:04 ".. the best fingering... well, I shouldn't say the BEST fingering because that's boastful..." I wish more people had this sentiment. Great lesson!

[@thelucidjoe]

Excellent tutorial, I felt like a personal student invited into the piano room.

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks Lucid Joe.

[@irenedhakde4692]

Me too, and it's bang on for my level. And the interpretation of this teacher is very balanced, tasteful... And I really like the man as a whole. There is that fatherly patience (although I am 46 😊) with just the right pace of explaination. All what one needs as a student! Thank you so so much for making these lovely sensible and sensitive videos sir!

[@paigeberkey2884]

I’ve been struggling to play this piece for 2 months. My piano teacher moved about 2 years ago and I’ve been trying to advance on my own. This feels just like I’m in a lesson again, and very insightful!

[@JackK867]

great stuff. one of the greatest tunes ever. a thorough, clarifying, and helpful analysis.

[@jessbarker6842]

Thank you for your generosity in sharing your knowledge. I will be watching for other tutorials by you.

[@sevildogan1807]

I think I just found a new piano channel to binge watch! cant wait to practice with these tips

[@andrearothman5656]

very kind of you to post this, thank you, you offer helpful insights

[@iamdeandrefrench]

Theres something very assuring and genuine about your teaching style!

[@musicgonnahelpme]

I am 28, and I’ve been playing piano for only a month, completely self taught. Your videos are eyes-opening in terms of how you should treat classical music. People who have you as their teacher since childhood are extremely lucky, cause your teaching style is simple and beautiful at the same time. I wonder if I will be able to play this since I just started piano, but after watching your videos I have more confidence to try. Thank you so much for making these videos. Now I know what it feels like to be on a piano lesson.

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks for your comments. This is a very advanced piece for a beginner. I wish you the very best of luck with it.

[@rajx82]

Wow this is great! Lots of videos on this piece focus just on how to play the notes but I love how you had so many ideas on interpretation

[@MICKEYISLOWD]

I first heard this piece just a few days ago and when I first listened I saw silver and aqua blue water flowing from the sky into streams of splendour. he colours are spectacular in my mind. The most beautiful music one could imagine.

[@pianoinsights6092]

Interesting! Chromesthesia perhaps?

[@MICKEYISLOWD]

@@pianoinsights6092 Yes I have that. I also have a super vivid inner monologue for sounds and colours obviously.

[@EvanZamir]

You have a great sound production. Best I’ve heard yet for piano videos.

[@zichunzhou553]

This is the most informative 29:19 minutes of my amature piano career. Thank you!

[@markbevin2019]

Very helpful concepts- waves, flutes and strings, and of course the fingering - few gems thanks and it sounds better just in one sitting

[@PPPP9100]

A true artist / pianist right here, Chapeau sir!

[@bernhardlindt7842]

Just great! I played this wonderful piece 30 years ago and now I am learning it again. Your suggestions are a good addition to those of my music teacher. Thank you very much! :-)

[@fionanogawa1730]

Thank you for a really helpful lesson - I like the way you work on the detailed fingering and technique like it's a conversation with the student. Very helpful!

[@rina1606]

I learned a lot from your tutorial, great details and depth in it!!

[@jamesharvey1912]

Fantastic. I love the detail and how you experiment a little on the way and show what can work and what won't. I watched at the piano on an ipad and kept stopping the video to try for my self. Thank you so much

[@georgiaaak9475]

i’ve been learning this song and it’s crazy how easy you play it!

[@deliciousmrcheese]

Love that all of your videos are so well-produced, professional, and knowledgeable. Very eye-opening, the way you analyze these pieces. I learn so much every time.

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks for the great feedback, Mr Cheese!

[@kookieskookie3729]

I am currently learning this and your video is very helpful! Thank you! I will be rewatching this a lot.

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks, and have fun with the piece!

[@TruthSurge]

I prefer it played more slowly. At your tempo, it sounds like swinging a thing around and around your head at a fast spead instead of soft waves that rise and fall with a gentleness. Slow it by 20%. That's how I'd play it if I COULD play it. It'd let those beautiful arpeggios linger longer and sound relaxed instead of rushed. Just my feeling about it.

[@xy-mw9nx]

Wow thank you so much. This made my day.

[@liana.chawngthu]

Felt like a masterclass .Thank you very much

[@pianoinsights6092]

My pleasure.

[@nippienips]

Only you and Josh Wright have tips that actually help me when playing. I really appreciate you explaining things in a very detailed manner. I think some avoid this content because they think people wouldn’t be interested. This is what I wish to see/hear when searching for piano technique tutorials. Thank you so much! ☺️☺️

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks, Nikki. I'm happy it's helping.

[@aussiesil80]

Fantastic lesson, easy to understand even as a novice! The general technique tips are excellent too

[@amusingkeys]

Found this video after learning all the notes for 3 mths. Tks for your detailed tips on technique & dynamics to improve my slow & stiff playing!

[@pearlfisher8988]

This is a tutorial I will be watching often, thank you.

[@VictorIgboatuegwu]

This piece is so lovely

[@tobiaszn6531]

one of the best lessons iv ever seen on yt, congratulations

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks, Tobiasz!

[@elizabethbier288]

Such an excellent lesson! Thank you so much!

[@westlosangeleschildrenscho2619]

Excellent tutorial. Thanks so much!

[@colinbates8498]

Very well explained & a great help.Thankyou !

[@aatsw]

Thanks for your detailed explanations, very helpful. I should find out the sheet music and refresh up on this piece again. Please keep up your good work, thank you.

[@WitteJuffer]

A very useful insyruction. Thank you very much!

[@pieterblikslager6180]

Love this. I've played piano professionally for decades. Your insight is perfect.

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thank you, Pieter!

[@georginafernandez2196]

Extraordinary teaching methodology. I've gotten a lot of tips to obtain a better sound on several areas of this piece. Thank you!

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks, Georgina.Great to hear!

[@omersetty5155]

Great tips. Thank you

[@paulosedeferraz]

What a wonderful class! Debussy is brilliant! Arabesque nº 1 is one of the most beautiful pieces for piano (Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil)

[@alexanderbk4]

Amazing lesson, very clear. Thank you!

[@pianoinsights6092]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@xy-mw9nx]

I’ve just subscribed, please continue to make these lovely interpreting videos hehehe. We’re all learning so much, so thank you v much.

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thank you Guarav! Will do!

[@FJMLAM]

Have just discovered your channel,. I was searching for info on this piece of music. Such clear and comprehensive thoughts and perception. I was really interested in your insight.an I cant even play the piano. You play beautifully. Have now subscribed!

[@pianowithrichard]

Thanks for the great lesson. I find it difficult to make classical pieces sound musical and this really helped. I've put a recording on my channel and tried my best to incorporate some of the things you mention

[@hanamohamad6875]

I truly never learned that much from a tutorial ! Amazing

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks so much, Hana.

[@katiezhang7845]

Dear Sir, I'm from China and currently practicing this piece. So glad that I found this great instruction video that I could see what impovements to make. Thank you so much and wish you stay happy and healthy!

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks, Katie, and best wishes to you.

[@kjmccoy4084]

Thank you very much for this video lesson. I'm an intermediate-early advanced player but I have never attempted to learn something on my own without my teacher. I also suffer from a coordination disorder which can make pieces like this a bit more difficult. This helped a lot 😊.

[@o-k9267]

Thank you sir!

[@angelinegao2519]

Benefit a lot from the advice for pedaling. So nice!

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks, Angeline.

[@gregscholes3158]

Thanks for the lesson!

[@rafasimsim]

WAVES of beauty, that's the key of this piece!!

[@leeroyhansson4733]

Thank you this really helped me

[@rocconorth]

I realized while watching this video that I'd watched several of your tutorials and hadn't subscribed! I've rectified the situation.😁

[@reverse9303]

Wtf is youre account 🥴😱

[@rocconorth]

@@reverse9303 I don't understand your question...

[@PIANO128]

Great video thanks so much

[@kingkobina]

Thats some sweet playing 👍.

[@TheHiro16]

Thank you for the wonderful time.

[@PDN11141]

What a super lesson even at 4 in the morning! Thank you.

[@pianoinsights6092]

You're so welcome!

[@PDN11141]

@@pianoinsights6092 I been practising this for a year on and off! As an older self taught player it has helped me, especially when returning to easier pieces. I can play them a lot better than I used to, however, if I was to use the metronome what speed should I put it on? Thank you so much you do make a difference.

[@shawna_mills8414]

Thank you very much

[@taeyoong715]

it was great!!! thanks

[@LightSearch]

Thank you very much for this video. For me the breakthrough with this piece was to never use full pedal. It ended up affecting how I play most pieces.

[@MrGeek2112]

Sir, you deserve three 0's after the 889 views on this. This is a project piece for me, as a beginning student, my teacher is aware but also likes that my love of the piece motivates the practice. I love your combination of technique recommendations as well as your theory of the piece from an aesthetic perspective, and you so clearly illustrate the differences between playing the notes and playing the music. You are taking such obvious delight in the piece that it comes through. I appreciate your humor as well ("I shouldn't say the BEST fingering because that's boastful."...it's the best, clearly. :-)) I will be watching this again and again as I work my way through this and my brain and hands understand more of what you have to share, my favorite piece as a child watching Stargazer on public television. Many, many thanks.

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thankyou MrGeek! You are brave to take on this piece as a beginner but I applaud it. Where there is a will and a passion, there's a way, especially with good guidance. Let me know how you get on.

[@MrGeek2112]

@@pianoinsights6092 It's almost a year, so much has changed, and I still love working on this piece. I've had it memorized since spring, so I can work on technique and dynamics. I'm not worrying about speed (at my level that's just time and practice I feel), but rather trying to relax and achieve smoothness and clarity. It's beginning to sound like the piece. When I play I hear the faults, but I suppose that's normal. My teacher seems pleased and always asks me to play it. The massive side benefits have been how understanding the techniques and composition have helped me with theory as well as shorter less difficult pieces at my "actual" level. Returning to your analysis brings fresh insights and it keeps paying dividends. I see your views went up by two factors of ten, well deserved! I hope in this COVID time you are here on YT a lot, I look forward to watching more. Thanks again. PS - my daughter is working on Debussy's Reverie, which vies with Arabesque for our favorite and most beautiful Debussy. I hope you have an analysis of it!

[@pianoinsights6092]

@@MrGeek2112 Great idea. I've been teaching the Reverie recently - time to do a video on it!

[@isola5738]

@@pianoinsights6092 Oh please do! Reverie is one of my favourite Debussy's, I have the score printed out but haven't managed to find a good tutorial. Your lessons are top-notch, not only insightful and enlightening, but also very precise and practical. Your Clair de lune and Moonlight sonata 1st movt tutorials helped me a lot! Many thanks and stay safe.

[@jordynone9547]

I like the details about how to play the piece. I never study my pieces like that at all (obviously, im a beginner still). This is really insightful. So much more to the piece than just meets the ear. I wholeheartly agree with MrGeek2112 below here :)

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks, Jordy.

[@lanmichaelmix2818]

hello,i like the way you say that people have find the fingers that works best,eventhough there is some compulsive fingerings but it's better for people to think out of the box.I used to be an classical guitar teacher and i said the same.Now i play this piece because i love debussy's music,i'm in the part 11:27 now.it is pretty tricky,Debussy had a good voicing skill but it's more difficult than modern accompaniment. Hope that i can finnish the piece.

[@rucker293]

Thanks for the fine tutorial. I would however highlight the 3 against 2 figures that occur throughout this delicate piece. Thanks again.

[@pianoinsights6092]

I made separate tutorial on this topic, having forgotten to include in this one.,

[@isaacpalmer6249]

I've been working on this a couple of months since viewing this lesson and really happy with where I've gotten it, except for one section which is just ruining everything. The run up to F# at the end of the first section, playing thirds with 3 and 5. My third finger invariably plays its note slightly before 5 when I try to play at the correct speed and it sounds absolutely stomach turningly appalling in a piece so beatific. Guess i need to just spend 20 mins a day on those bars relentlessly and probably slow down until I have it. Seems impossible to me at the moment but that's the nature of the beast! I can't afford a teacher at the moment so really appreciate your lesson on this. Thank you!

[@isaacpalmer6249]

I find this piece quite comparable to Une Barque Sur L'Ocean by Ravel, I always find myself imagining a little boat bobbing up and down at sea when I play it!

[@pianoinsights6092]

That's another great piece!

[@pianoinsights6092]

Suggestion: practise this passage by rotating the arm from fingers 1 and 2 together to 3 and 5 together . Practicing in this way enables the arm rotation to achieve a simultaneous landing of 3 and 5 more than playing 1 and 2 as written, where the rotation stems from 2 only and with less time for it to happen. Do several repetition of each 'pair' of thirds to give the hand a solid sense of the feel of each one.

[@isaacpalmer6249]

@@pianoinsights6092 that's so helpful, thank you. I've just tried this and it's 100% easier to make the landings and get a feel of the rotation. I will practise this way for a while.

[@matthiasbillue4358]

Hey beginner here. At 7:00 does he mean use a different pedel or release the sustain and press it down again? And 3:48 does he keep the middle quiet by playing softer or not using the pedal and holding the bass notes with his pinky?

[@davidlewis4013]

5:13 why do you start with finger 3 and not 4 for the first group and then 4 for the start of the next? Is it really that more fluid?

[@odanilo]

Alguém gostaria de ter a legenda traduzida para português? Would someone like to have these subtitles in portuguese?

[@ImWriiight]

I feel like this is one of the most misunderstood piano songs. In my opinion, you could write a heck of a phd thesis on this song, because it explores one of the most fundamental aspects of music: the difference between triple and duple meters. Triple meters are more “flowey” and duplex are more “marching”. The song constantly explores a shifting emphasis on duplex vs triple, switching which hand plays which, in constant contrast against each other, but with no constancy over whether melody or harmony carries which one. But, any performance seems to rush the piece. The triple meter retains its flow, but the duple loses its marching quality. And, the transitions from triple to duple, especially in the main melodic theme, benefit from rubato, But rushing the piece comes at the cost of an expressive rubato. I feel that to really express the price meaningfully, you have to slow it down to the point that the March vs. flow can be felt.

[@callykitten5095]

Those triplets on the 8ths vex me.

[@pianoinsights6092]

Hi Cally K. Try this video and see if it helps... kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2OQYqGBosuBjKc

[@callykitten5095]

@@pianoinsights6092 Thanks for the help :)

[@lanchanoinguyen2914]

18:43 i have issue play this fast enough,so difficult

[@EvadeModsRGH]

What model Yamaha is your piano? It sounds beautiful

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thanks, D. It's a 1970 Yamaha 9ft concert grand. (It even has ivory keys, having been imported just before the ivory ban).

[@PrincessSakuno]

Sir I've just found your channel because im having great difficulty teaching myself this song. Especially going through the main theme! I've noticed you've stopped uploading, Hope you are doing alright 💪

[@pianoinsights6092]

Thank you. Yes, I'm fine, and planning to do more videos soon.

[@juliankeller5030]

Are you using the una corda at all for the pianissimo parts? I personally do not like the difference in sound but I’ve seen a couple performers use it. Curious about your opinion. Also great stuff 👍thank you for posting this lesson

[@pianoinsights6092]

Yes Julian, I like the una corda pedal in the pianissimo triplets at the beginning and end of the piece. Then when the melody breaks into more soloist lines (less like broken chords), I take it up. If your piano muffles the sound too much, you might try pressing half way down. Sometimes the una corda can be useless, because of either too much muffling or none at all. But a well-regulated una corda can give a lovely change of color in the right places.

[@juliankeller5030]

Thank you! Also if I could ask/recommend that you make a video similar to this for Clair De Lune by Debussy, id be really thankful and it would also probably bring quite a bit of attention to your channel. Great stuff!

[@pianoinsights6092]

You read my mind! I just posted it.

[@juliankeller5030]

Piano Insights wow you are quick! haha

[@richardcarnes8858]

Arabesque No.2 also. RC

[@darquoy]

the beginning has to be much more like an improvisation imo

[@pianoinsights6092]

It's always good to try different approaches, but the improvistaion approach here implies that the opening is an introduction, such as the opening of Mozart's Fantasy in D minor. But then, what does one do with the return of this opening idea on page two, and especially towards the end, where Debussy develops it? Do we go into improv mode again? I don't think this works at all. The opening is not introductory, and it also sets up the triplet rhythm which rolls along for most of the piece. Very different from the Mozart Fantasy, where neither the triplets nor the musical ideas return.

[@juanacosta8593]

Is 61 keys enough for this piece?

[@paulalexander796]

No entendí nada de lo que dijo, pero gracias porque cuando sepa habla inglés sé que me servirá de mucho.

[@nz7921]

Andantino ...?

[@eternalclassicsbrothers9636]

Well done! I just uploaded this too :)! You are welcome to listen :).