24 Préludes (Books I & II)


Claude Debussy - Feux d'artifice, No. 12 from Preludes, Book 2

Feux d’artifice (Fireworks) is the final piece of Debussy’s second book of Préludes, and the most overtly flashy. Paul Roberts asserts that “virtuoso music should sound and look daring,” and that Feux d’artifice “is audacious in every sense, musically, technically, and theatrically.” Indeed, the music seems to not only depict actual fireworks but also embodies the notion of pianistic fireworks.

In this video lesson, Fred Karpoff demonstrates how to clear the many hurdles of Feux d’artifice with ease, ranging from imaginative retaking of notes to facilitate jumps, arpeggios, and glissandi to producing sparkling sound, clarity, and daring sonic and pedalling effects.

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