During the First World War Debussy, who was already ill at the time, worked on a series of groundbreaking studies for piano. The comparison with the etudes of
Chopin is obvious, if only because Debussy dedicated them to the Polish master. Chopin's etudes are a systematic school of learning for a skilled piano technique. This systematics is also recognisable in Debussy's work. Methodically the bumps
… of piano athletics are tackled: thirds, fourths, sixths, octaves, repeating notes... Yet pianist Philippe Bianconi sees an important difference with Chopin. He sees Debussy's etudes rather as studies for composing himself. Quarters, thirds and octaves also refer to kinesthetic matters. But they are also the minimal building blocks for compositional freedom. For it is precisely these agile building blocks that can be extrapolated to unprecedented rhythms, sounds and forms. People are amazed at the endless variety of new sounds, the absolute freedom of form,' says Philippe Bianconi. (HJ)more
