Debussy, Études

Last week we listened to one of the Chopin études and how he took what had been mostly a technical exercise and turned it into a concert piece. We can continue to look at that dual function with a later set of études by Claude Debussy (1862-1918).

Debussy’s set of twelve études are late works composed in 1915. They are divided into two books. In Book 1, the first six études explore the technical problems with different musical intervals (thirds, fourths, sixths). Books 2 dives into musical style with explorations of ornaments, repeated notes, sonorities, and chords.

This performance includes 3 of the 12 études. It begins with No. 7 from Book 2 focusing on chromaticism. Then comes No. 11 on arpeggios. It ends on an étude from Book 1: No. 5 on octaves. As with the Chopin études, knowing the teaching purpose behind each one gives you one more thing to listen for, but it doesn’t take away from the musicality. 

These works strike me as some of Debussy’s most interesting, offering up a nice amount of punch and wit. They contain many challenges for the performer and a few for the listener as well, but they illustrate clearly how a learning exercise can go hand in hand with an interesting concert piece.