In this, the first of five installments of WQXR's special series, "Debussy and the Piano," David Dubal presents a vintage recording of Debussy playing from the Children’s Corner Suite, an explanation of why Debussy wasn’t a fan of Beethoven, and an exploration on how France and French culture influenced his aesthetic.
Listen to the full show above, which will be available through Sept. 5
Debussy and the Piano: Part I, Playlist
1) Debussy, Claude: “Images,” Set 1: ‘Reflets dans l’eau’ (Reflections in the Water)
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, piano
2) Debussy, Claude: La plus que lente
Artur Rubinstein, piano
3) Debussy, Claude: Preludes: Book I: “Minstrels”
Walter Gieseking, piano
4) Debussy, Claude: “Pour le piano”: ‘Sarabande’
Claudio Arrau, piano
5) Debussy, Claude: Etude No. 6, “for Eight Fingers”
Mitsuko Uchida, piano
6) Debussy, Claude: Etude No. 6, “for Eight Fingers”
Vladimir Horowitz, piano
7) Debussy, Claude: Preludes: Book I: “Des pas sur la neige” (Steps on the snow)
Alfred Cortot, piano
8) Debussy, Claude: Etude No. 9 “Pour les notes repetees” (For repeated notes)
Maurizio Pollini, piano
9) Debussy, Claude: “Children’s Corner”: ‘Golliwogg’s Cake-walk’
Andre Watts, piano
10) Debussy, Claude: “Children’s Corner”: ‘Golliwogg’s Cake-walk’
Claude Debussy, piano
11) Debussy, Claude: “Suite Bergamasque”: ‘Clair de lune’
Friedrich Gulda, piano
12) Debussy, Claude: Pour le piano: Toccata
Samson Francois, piano