How To Teach Debussy Reverie
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 มิ.ย. 2024
- Today we're talking about how to teach Reverie by Claude Debussy. It is a well-loved piece that late intermediate/early advanced piano students love playing, but it's not without some challenges. Looking for more support as a piano teacher? Check out my Resources page here www.jannawilliamson.com/resou...
Jennifer Linn's book titled 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
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0:00 Introduction
1:38 Difficulty level and practicing the polyrhythm
3:43 Arpeggiated chords
5:20 Key signature change and harmony in general
6:22 Range and dynamic shifts across the keyboard
7:22 Practicing m.76
9:25 Dynamics - เพลง
Other videos covering pieces by Debussy:
Clair de lune, part 1: th-cam.com/video/EcZTywUv5H8/w-d-xo.html
Arabesque No.1: th-cam.com/video/dKCYVKp6Ajs/w-d-xo.html
This is so terrific! Always will be a student, having no teacher since 15 and now a life time of playing unguided. This just got assigned to me by my teacher; let the learning begin on this gorgeous piece! I will refer back to your video. Thank you!
You're welcome; thank you for watching!
This piece seems so simple, but when I tried learning it I suddenly felt like a moron. Now I understand why. I might try picking this back up.... very beautiful piece.
I'm glad I could help in some small way!
I'm attempting to teach myself this piece and this video will shorten the learning curve. Thank you so much!
Thank you for the tips! Love your videos. Also your piano has such a lovely and warm sound, it's perfect for the dreamy sounds of Debussy :)
Thank you!
Thanks! I am teaching myself to play this. Your suggestions are good ones and I'll apply them. In particular, the comments on dynamics. thanks again!
Absolutely brilliant advice, what a brilliant pianist and teacher you are!
Thank you for watching! Please share with a friend!
Thank you! Some really helpful tips here. I am not a teacher but find most of your videos relevant to me as a student too (self taught). Keep it up!
For a student with no teacher, I'd point out the following; the polyrhythms here are the first I'd ever tried. I think I learned them ok since I know how this piece should feel and sound (based on loving it, and listening to it often). Once I had the two hands done separately it just flowed; this was far from the most difficult part for me but of course ymmv. Then you mention specifically where the melody moves to the left hand towards the end of the piece and needs to be clear, I find this difficult with all that is going on. Also the octaves in right hand accompanied by arpeggios in left hand are aspects that I've invested a lot of time in and still have not mastered. The latter aspects are the ones I wish I had a teacher for and I'll bet they present a challenge for other students at my level as well.
New subscriber here! Thanks so much for sharing insight on how to teach piano pieces. Very helpful and unique channel for both teachers and students!
Thank you for your kind words! Best wishes in your teaching!
Thanks
Very useful information
You're welcome!
Thank you.
You're welcome! More info here: www.jannawilliamson.com/blog/how-to-teach-reverie-by-debussy
Since I’m teaching myself, I will apply this excellent video to myself as the teacher, who will pass it on to myself as the student. Thank you!!!
Good luck, and thanks for watching!
Thank you, good insights. I came to Reverie after looking at some simpler Debussy like Jimbo's lullaby, Minstrels, Clair de Lune, La fille aux CDL, Dr Gradus, Golliwoggs CW. I found the L.H. arpeggios with the R.H octaves the hardest, because your hands are at opposite ends of the piano. Please do one on Dr Gradus ad Parnassum, as that piece has always eluded me, especially the opening measures.
Yes, you are right, the LH arpeggios + RH octaves section is the hardest. I have considered doing a video on Dr. Gradus, but you are right - the opening is quite difficult! I have taught it twice recently, but need to do so again and do some research before I offer any thoughts. Thanks for watching!
Great video. I'm learning this late in life and can relate to all those issues you mention! meno piano still makes me think twice. About pedalling, it seems the opening bars can work with 'open' pedal, but bars 7 and 8 don't sound so good being pedalled through... any thoughts...? What make is your piano, by the way? Sounds warm but interesting. All best wishes.
I would definitely pedal harmonically when the LH has those arpeggios (pedal every half measure).
My piano is a 1999 Yamaha C2 - more info about it in this tour of my studio. 😊 th-cam.com/video/A9jcXRsA1Kw/w-d-xo.html
Hi Janna.
I enjoy watching your teaching videos, as they give me guidance when I'm learning these pieces.
One question I have is: Did Debussy mean for the pianist to roll the last left hand chord in m47, even if the hand can reach all three notes at once?
It's marked as a roll in my scores, so I assume yes. I'd be curious to listen to multiple professional recordings to see if anyone plays it solid, without a roll.
Aloha Janna! I was wondering if you had a recommendation for a Sheet Music book to use with one of my students that would include in their original form (not simplified arrangements) such favorites as Rachmaninoff Prelude in C#m & Prelude in Gm, Liszt Liebestraum, Mozart Rondo alla Turca, Chopin Fantasie Impromptu, possibly even Maple Leaf Rag, etc. This particular student is a high school student who is a casual player and I have had him using my "59 Piano Solos that you like to play" edition that is 40 years old and falling apart, but happened to have quite a number of these sorts of pieces in it. I was just trying to find one book that would have most of these pieces in it rather than five books or just using ISMLP, and I wanted for him to have a nice new book rather than my falling apart edition. If you have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it!! Thank you so much! And Merry Christmas to you from Hawaii! --Norma Meis
Well, I don't know that you will find ALL of those in one book, and my personal preference is for students to have good quality editions that they can come back to later on as adults. Here are a few options that contain at least couple of those and are nice books: KJOS Snell Favorite Repertoire 2 amzn.to/3Hvzx9W (view table of contents here: kjos.vo.llnwd.net/o28/pdf/GP462_TOC.pdf) or Jennifer Linn's Journey Through the Classics: Romantic Collection amzn.to/3iYOpn7 (view song list here: www.halleonard.com/product/294350/journey-through-the-classics-romantic-collection) Otherwise, keep in mind that the Alfred Masterworks editions are very affordable and often come in single sheets: amzn.to/3j0Bf99 or composer collections: amzn.to/3FsrDLI
@@JannaWilliamson Thank you so much, Janna, for responding so quickly during this exceedingly busy time of year! I do appreciate it and thank you also for including the links and making it so easy for me to look up your suggestions! All the very best to you! Aloha, Norma.
@@92pianokeys40 You're welcome!
Could you make a video about Claire de lune?
Good idea! I will see about that!
I'm happy to say that my Clair de lune video just posted this morning! Please check it out here: th-cam.com/video/EcZTywUv5H8/w-d-xo.html
@@JannaWilliamson thank you!
I was wondering about measure 58, beat 2, treble clef...in some editions it has a G# which is what I grew up playing, but then in the Keith Snell edition it doesn't have the G#. I've seen it both ways in various editions. I was wondering if you had clarity on this. Many thanks, Norma.
I definitely believe that's a G#. Snell's editing is not the best in my opinion.
@@JannaWilliamson Thank you so much!! I much prefer the G#, a G natural there just sounds wrong to me. :)
And another great tutorial about another favourite piece of mine. So, apparently Debussy would have thought poorly of my taste...Lovely quote
Ha! I guess so, and all of my students' taste as well. :) Thanks for watching!
Thank you for your videos. They are always so helpful. I have a student who decided to learn this with a family member over the summer and is playing the section where the melody is passed between hands with the RH playing all the melody notes and the LH crossing over to play the running eighth notes. I didn't learn it that way and have never seen it played that way. It is a little choppy at the this point so I'm thinking I'll try to get her to play it the more conventional way of dividing the melody between hands (as you show it). I love your ideas on how to teach that section btw! What do you think? Have you ever seen it played this way? Her edition actually has it marked this way! It's a copy so I'm not sure what edition it is.
No, I have never seen it that way! If it works, go for it. However, I would think it would be difficult to jump quickly AND play those note quietly, which should be the priority. Let me know how it goes!
Should the students listen to a full playing of a new piece before they learn them.
Yes, definitely at least once, particularly with difficult repertoire like this! I do have a free listening list if you are interested: www.jannawilliamson.com/blog/piano-pieces-every-student-should-know
@@JannaWilliamson thank you so much.
@@RajaSir21you’re welcome! Thanks for watching, and please check out the rest of my channel.
I'm in my late thirties and a major regret of mine is not learning the piano. I love classical like Debussy, Bach, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, etc. I'll only listen and never play. Maybe in the next life.
Yup, wise choice. Only gets harder with age.
Why next life? you are not dead yet, is never too late, im 30 and start learning the piano at 29 and im here cause my teacher said that we can work on this piece now, i have my doubts that i can but will try anyways haha
@@imaJMALuz It all comes down to time management. If you have the time then that's great. I have a job and family so those years are basically behind me.
It’s not too late! I started at 52 after my kids had left the nest and I had enough time to practice a few hours a day. Found a wonderful teacher and surprised myself at how much one can achieve as an adult learner if you put in the time and effort. If it’s truly your desire to learn, don’t let age stop you! I consider starting in my early 50’s the ultimate 60th birthday present to myself!
Hi Bar 35 is in C minor chord and bar 36 is D major chord . Which key is it in ? Thank u
I'm not sure I understand the question, but I'll do my best to answer. You are right about the C minor and D major chords. This pieces is is generally in F major, but it has modulated to C major by m.34. Measures 35-50 are a bit of developmental material, working back to F major. I hope that helps!
@@JannaWilliamson hi
In F major there is no C minor and D major so trying to figure out which key is it from thank u
@@sayonara6301 well, Debussy is known for adventurous harmonies, not following the conventional rules. I would say that the C minor comes as a parallel minor to C major - the minor dominant. Likewise, D major is the parallel major to D minor...the relative to F major...so maybe that explains it a bit? He's moving quickly through a lot of ideas.
@@JannaWilliamson I see the D as in C Lydian . Yes C minor I am also thinking along the aeolian mode of C major …😊
@@sayonara6301 yes I almost said something about Lydian mode. 😄