Arabesque Number Two
By Claude Achille Debussy
As Performed by Crag Jensen
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This Arabesque was an early work , having been written in his twenties (circa - 1890). However - it foreshadows Debussy's later works as, perhaps to a lesser degree, does his first Arabesque (written approximately two years prior).
The challenges I encountered while learning this piece were - number one - the dexterity of my little finger as-well-as my fourth on the right hand had to be increased. Also, trilling with the fingers on the left hand needed refining. To accomplish this - I would practice this trills over-and-over for several minutes a day. Needless-to-say - (number two) there are several pasages in this piece that must be drilled repeatedly on a daily basis. The trick is to get it to flow with a delicate delicacy at a fairly rapid tempo. And number three - there are some wide stretches in a few places that, once worked on, become easier and easier
This piece, although not a super-flashy piece, reflects the amazing genius of Monsieur Debussy. It is lively yet enchanting at the same time. At this writing, I feel I am only beginning to learn the piece and that the beauty inherent within it only grows with each new practice session...