(Homage to Rameau)
This piece, the second of the first bookof Images, is very classical and abstract in approach.
Emotional content: Hommage a Rameau is tome an emotional journey inward, from its simple classicalbeginning through the increasing depth of the first two pages andthe almost shamanistic dance of the middle section to theprofound and peaceful ending. Understood as a journey from simpleclassical form to deep inner experience this piece has a naturalflow
Shape and flow: Hommage a Rameau has thefeel of a set of dances. The piece breaks into four sections,each deeper and vaster in feel than the previous. The first is asimple dance of increasing sadness. The second section issomewhat dreamy, falling into a trance. The third section is amore rhythmic, hypnotic dance building to a deep release. Thefourth section is a peaceful, reverential restatement of thethemes from the previous sections. This piece is a study incontrasts and the teasing climax. By teasing climax I meandynamics where a climax is almost reached but is backed off fromat the last minute. This technique takes several forms in thispiece, most notably attaining harmonic climax while reducingvolume. Of course a full climax is eventually reached towards theend of the middle section.
Section 1: the openingsarabande (measures 1-13)
From
Measures 1-4: a simple monophonicstatement of the theme. I play it very slowly, with soft pedalthrough measure 4 and very little sustain pedal. It is a sadopening.
Measures 5-9: I release the soft pedalhere for contrast. This section has three voices, which must beclearly delineated from one another. For measures 5-6 I use thesostenuto pedal to catch the low G#, allowing sustain pedalchanges during the melody lines.
Measures 10-13: Initially a restatementof the opening theme, with a segue into next section. I return tothe soft pedal for measure 10, held until the second beat ofmeasure 11. The addition of new voices to the theme in measures12 and 13 thicken the texture, so I meld them with the melody inanticipation of the next section.
Section 2: moving intodream (measures 14-30)
Measures 14-19: These measures are verybeautiful. I catch the opening bass notes of measure 14 with thesostenuto pedal, releasing them on the change of harmony on thethird beat of measure 15. Throughout this whole section I keep asmuch of the phrasing in my hands as possible, changing pedaloften to avoid blurring. There are three voices in thesemeasures: a top melody in octaves sometimes shared between thehands, the middle voice in thirds, and the bass voice. I keepthem as distinct as possible, bringing out the dissonancesbetween them.
Measures 19-20: This is one of myfavorite moments in the piece: measure 19 seems to be leading upto a major climax, which indeed happens harmonically, but thedynamics drop to piano.I exaggerate the contrasting dynamics somewhat more than mostrecordings I've heard. This always sends shivers up my spine.
Measures 20-24: The earlier three-partmelody is broadened, leading up to a full climax in measure 24. Imake heavy use of the pedal here. There is (for me) a difficulttechnical problem in measures 22 and 23: I cannot reach theleft-hand chord (a D9?) appearing on the 4th quarter beat ofmeasure 22 and the 2nd and 4th quarter beats of measure 23. Iusually roll the chord, and a friend of mine has suggestedplaying the low E of this chord as a preceding eighth orsixteenth note.
Measures 24-26: Following the climax isan echo effect, in which I bring increasing clarity, releasingthe pedal for the monophonic melody of measure 26.
Measures 26-30: A very solemn restatementof the opening theme, bringing the two opening sections to aclose and setting up the major transition to come. I catch thelow bass note beginning measure 28 with the sostenuto pedal withthe left side of my left foot, then depress the middle soft pedaland hold both with my left foot until the bass rest in measure30.
Section 3: hypnoticdance (measures 31-57)
I take this section to have the clarityof a lucid dream, in contrast to the soft dreaminess of sections1 and 2. I play this entire section without the soft pedal, forincreased clarity.
Measures 31-37: in these measures we aresuddenly transported somewhere else entirely. I think of thesemeasures as almost a trumpet fanfare calling us to the hypnoticdance. The opening theme is an important one for this section.
The thick chords here make it a challengeto maintain clarity. I again catch the low octave at the end ofmeasure 30 with the sostenuto pedal, and hold through measure 38.This allows changes of sustain pedal as needed for clarity. Ivoice the thirds in measures 33-34 for clear, bell-like tone.
I find it useful to think of the chordsin measure 35 as follows: right hand: Fm aug6, Eflatm7, Fdim7;left hand: Bflatm7, Eflatm7, Fdim7, Gm6, Bflatm7.
Measure 37 is a descending melody, takingus to the dance rhythm.
Measures 38-42: The opening of the dancetheme. From here to measure 51 is strictly rhythmic. It's prettythick so watch the pedal. Note the crescendo in measure 41, whichI hold to the end of measure 42.
Measures 44-50: These measures are themost powerful and surprising I know of. The harmonic structure iscompletely mysterious to me, but the effect is simple and direct.
The dynamics drop to piano,build to forte in measure 45, drop back to piano in measure 46,then build to the full climax of the piece in measure 51. Theeffect is one of building waves. The harmonic progressionstrongly contributes to the climax. The scale used for the topvoice in measures 43-46 is quite unusual (I don't find them inany of my texts), with the middle voice arpegiatting an A4, andthe bass playing a D. The resulting tension is released a littlewith the relatively conventional harmony of measure 47. Measures48-50 brings in an even stranger harmonic structure, but it iscompletely effective.
I put a small pause between measures 47and 48, and begin measure 48 very softly, building up to the bigclimax in measure 51. I experience the beginning of measure 48 asa profound expansion of my emotional universe (OK that's prettystrong, but you should try it for yourself!).
Measures 51-56. The big climax of thepiece. Anyone who thinks Debussy's music is wimpy should checkthis section out. Pull out all the stops: this is the kind ofmusic that makes expensive grand pianos worthwhile. The writtentiming in the arpeggios gives a good sense of the intent, and Iplay them somewhat freely. Though strong, there is something verytender about this climax, particularly the change in harmony inthe chords. Measures 54-56 drop dynamically to pianoalong with a ritard, leading to a very gentle segue into measure57.
Section 4: reverence(measures 57-76)
Measures 57-65: At first sight a simplerestatement of the opening theme. But there are importantharmonic and textural differences. I hold the soft pedal formeasures 57-62. I play measures 57-58 with minimum sustain pedal,emphasizing the rests in the bass line. For measures 61-62 Icatch the low G# with the sostenuto pedal (still holding the softpedal with the same foot). The resolution at the end of measure64 is quiet but strong.
Measures 65-76: The reverence deepens toan almost church-like atmosphere. The hypnotic dance theme floatsin and out of the broad chords. When I play these measures I feelas if I'm whispering my deepest secrets.
I voice the chords as resonant and clear,though quiet, holding the soft pedal for measures 65-68 and againfor measures 72-76. I release the soft pedal for measures 69-71to bring out a little more clarity for the small swell in thesemeasures. I voice the dance theme for clarity among the chords(as marked).
I reduce the use of pedal in measure 71to almost nothing, to bring out the restatement of the openingtheme, holding the chords as marked.
For measure 72, I play the second (B)chord with the left hand, then silently retake the low G# octaveand change sustain pedal on each chord in measure 73. Then I usefull sustain pedal for measure 74 as I fade dynamically.
Be sure to make the last chord as quietand gentle as possible.