22:32 I understand exactly what this is. One of my dreams is to play this beautiful composition on a piano. Right now I only have one keyboard. Whenever I listen to Clair de Lune, my eyes also fill up, as a beginner at this part. This part has something magical, which I don't know how to explain... but it's as if it were "rebirth", the dawn or the sigh, after a moment of emotional decline. It's really thought-provoking and very beautiful. 😢
I can’t believe he’s doing this for free ❤. Yes! This is my go to piano lesson after I’ve learned to play it slowly…. I love how he teaches this. Thank you so much for sharing this treasure 👏
Exceptional! This offers a rare combination - deep analysis that can be absorbed by non professionals. On behalf of all those who struggle for results with this piece, thanks so much.
Thank you for “shedding light on the moonlight”. Thank you for your generosity in sharing this lesson on how to approach, interpret, understand and play.
This is the first time I have fully understood the piece. Very intensive explanation. All the more I came to appreciate the beauty of this music. Thank you Mr. Bavouzet.
Thanks Jean-Efflam! Your passion is infectious! Just learnt to play....what a journey. Written in the perfect key...so many black notes. This piece ebbs and flows..it grows and shrinks like a wave. To play this properly requires such a materclass. It's tough and yet not unforgiving. I love how Debussy doubles up notes between the left and right hands. Such a very expressionate piece. Wonderful. Your insight has really helped. More please!
Wonderful, inspiring, and excellent teaching! Thank you so much for this amazing breakdown of how to bring the emotion and musicality of this piece to life. ❤
This has been an immeasurable help. I have watched this countless times. It is a privilege to be able to learn from Monsieur Bavouzet. Who has such deep insight into the piece. The images he has described have accompanied me throughout learning the piece. Is there any chance he might do another tutorial on debussy? The reverie or first arabesque maybe? Thank you so much for this!
31:25 "..the most important note". I found this fascinating as I did not know Debussy had said this, but have thought exactly the same when practicing the piece. It is so true because it changes the expression of the second playing of the main melody. Thank you for a great lesson.
Merci!! This is delightful to listen to, I love the accent, expression, and the insights on playing this magnificent piece. I am trying to learn it on the harp, ginormous challenge!
Excellent teaching for this music. I appreciate your wealth of knowledge in understanding Debussy and his composition. Thank you for such a wealth of advice.
Thank you for such a thoughtful breakdown of this piece and exposing layers I never knew existed. I’m relearning this song with a completely new light on it!
I love this piece of music do struggle playing it but I don't care I still have a go at it . I love the bottom D flat(I love the sound of this) note because I know some wonderful music is coming
YES! It definitely sounds like moon, love, and water. I always believes it was about moonlight over the water, viewed by someone in love, but I did not know what Claude Debussy was thinking or feeling. It just paints that picture for me, and makes me fall in love with it, or at least my heart resonates with the love imbued into the magical music. Your direction regarding using the arm to influence the right hand reminds me of my bowing on the violin, especially switching between strings. Sometimes I put a bit more emphasis on the down bow and my arm plays a role in that moevment similarly to how I see you playing. Ah, you are so right about the coda being liek the remembering of the dream. Very good analogy!
Priceless!! Thank you so much for making and sharing this video. I am currently learning Clair de Lune , it is such an exquisite and beautiful piece of work by Debussy❤❤❤❤
Extraordinary. But couldn’t we hear him play it straight through? For fifty years I have only tooled around with the piano. I could only ever dream of playing Clair de Lune. I have barely enough knowledge to appreciate this deep dive into one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. My only comment: I love Paul Barton’s more deliberate interpretation.
This must be the correct way to play Clair de lune, because it is the way I play it :) Whether the written arpeggios should be played left hand then right hand, or both at the same time, does vary from pianist to pianist.
Such a lovely interpretation. One question about the arpeggios at 17:37, open for anyone to answer. I saw on another channel they recommended playing the left and right hand arpeggio simultaneously, rather than rolling from the left hand to right. Both sound nice, but which one do you think DeBussy intended? Thank you for this course. I used to play as a teenager over 20 years ago. My teacher would bring in concert pianists to provide master classes for his top students. I really enjoy your teaching style. You give visualizations and emotions, not just rigid technical pointers. Of course nothing beats the instant feedback of a live teacher, but this video can act as a students handbook for learning this piece. I'm getting the itch to start playing again.
I’ve been playing piano for 5 weeks. I can play the first bit with one hand. It’s suitable for a beginner. But I dream of being able to play it soon. But I don’t know what some of the notes are yet. So I am reading theory to learn.
Your interpretation of this piece is SPOT ON! No doubt about that...BUT....THAT is exactly what AI can't stand about classical musician: It's from TOP to BOTTOM: "HOW DOES THE COMPOSER WANT YOU TO PLAY THE PIECE. To your knowledge(REASON WHY I'm hear listening to you!) I've just finished studying this piece. It took me 3 weeks to get it down(this piece contains NO 'BAD-PLAYABLE' PARTS). As I'm used to study about 6 or 7 pianist before 'downloading' a piece, I discovered very early that THEY ALMOST ALL OMIT A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THEM AND THE PIECE. It's ALL 'Debussy means this and Debussy means that' and 'you have to count here 2 and there 3 and there 4. COME ON MAN: THIS IS MUSIC. HOW ABOUT A DIALOGUE WITH YOUR OWN FEELINGS..........NO OFFENCE INTENDED!!
The piece, the way it is ment to be played comes from one's perspective. Debussy's in this case. Ofc you can do your own interpretation, wich will change the perception. Music is subjective to the listener. What you express will be different for many people. But by distinct expressions, the impression that the pianist wants to deliver will reach more people objectively due to it's nature ( by being played the way it is explained ). Meaning " imposing " to feel what wants to be felt by the pianist. Pieces like these would not have the impact they have, if expressed in different ways. That does not mean, a different way would be " wrong " if done so, but different, wich requires changes in either rhytm or harmony, wich again leads to the " nullification " of importance of specific transitions / notes that have any impact. To simplify, taking the D Flat towards the end. Imagine changing rhytm / tonality to this single " expression ". I call it an " expression ", because that's what debussy wants to highlight. It's his way of telling a story wich makes the piece complete. Not only does this NEED to be played that way in order to be recognized as " Clair de lune ", but it hase a purpose. It's a distinct expression, wich STILL is subjective to the listener, but objectively delivered by the composer to leave you with the freedom of interpretation. If that makes any sense. At the end it means, music is subjective, no matter what.
NO WAY: I'm NOT talking about changing THE NATURE of the tune. Iwould NEVER do that. I'm talking about QUITTING this 'rat race' about WHO'S interpretation is closest to e.g. Beethoven/Chopin/Mozart etc. Let me give you an example: take THE BRIDGE in CHOPIN'S nocturne op. 20 in C minor. EVERYBODY(on You Tube) plays it FAST. WHY: BECAUSE CHOPIN SAID SO...RIGHT! But if you look at the nature of the AA section of this tune: THIS IS BEAUTIFULLY SLOW. it's in fact 'danceble slow'. So there is EVERY REASON-should you feel so-to continue this BRIDGE slow-should you feel to. THIS is what I mean with 'a dialogue between YOU and THE PIECE. Now go and listen to chopin's nocturne op. 20 in C minor and then come back to continue the discussion....OK!!
I could watch this 100 times. I can’t believe I get this content for free
Same here… 🤫
Same here❤️❤️❤️
Very much like a graduate program in music composition
8:44 what a BRILLIANT analogy. An empty bottle being pushed down in water is PERFECT ❤
What a beatiful interpretation by Jean-Efflam... such a shame this video has only been seen 33k times. A hidden gem.
Clair de lune est parfaite. Cet homme joue parfaitement. Perfect, perfect, parfait.
I still can’t get over how great this is. Deep yet simple insights into this beguiling piece.
Ahh . . . a soothing and life-giving oasis in a desert of ignorance and vulgarity. Merci! Merci beaucoup!
There is no way to express how fantastic this video is. Thank you so much.
Glad you enjoyed it!
22:32 I understand exactly what this is. One of my dreams is to play this beautiful composition on a piano. Right now I only have one keyboard. Whenever I listen to Clair de Lune, my eyes also fill up, as a beginner at this part. This part has something magical, which I don't know how to explain... but it's as if it were "rebirth", the dawn or the sigh, after a moment of emotional decline. It's really thought-provoking and very beautiful. 😢
An amazing teacher...wish mine had ever been so good!
When I listen to Clair de lune I am almost always brought near to tears. To think, I could ever play this without torrents of tears is unimaginable.
I can’t believe he’s doing this for free ❤. Yes! This is my go to piano lesson after I’ve learned to play it slowly…. I love how he teaches this. Thank you so much for sharing this treasure 👏
Exceptional! This offers a rare combination - deep analysis that can be absorbed by non professionals. On behalf of all those who struggle for results with this piece, thanks so much.
He is excellent in analyzing and playing. Thumbs up.
Thank you for “shedding light on the moonlight”. Thank you for your generosity in sharing this lesson on how to approach, interpret, understand and play.
This is the first time I have fully understood the piece. Very intensive explanation. All the more I came to appreciate the beauty of this music. Thank you Mr. Bavouzet.
Listening to this tutorial is akin to listening to poetry 🙏🙏🙏🙏☺️☺️☺️☺️
Thanks Jean-Efflam! Your passion is infectious! Just learnt to play....what a journey. Written in the perfect key...so many black notes. This piece ebbs and flows..it grows and shrinks like a wave. To play this properly requires such a materclass. It's tough and yet not unforgiving. I love how Debussy doubles up notes between the left and right hands. Such a very expressionate piece. Wonderful. Your insight has really helped. More please!
Thank you SO much for this valuable lesson 🙂🙏🏼🌹
I’ve just started this piece despite of the fact I’m not that developed for it. This lesson is really inspiring once you get the physical work done.
How's it going, did you manage to learn it yet?
Amazing lesson. Thank you Mr. Bavouzet and Pianist Magazine!
Amazing!!! I just resurrected this piece from my youth and this so instructive!!
This is an absolute gem. Thank you!
Thank you so much, Sir. Quite a class in everything in beautiful music. I hope one day I will get there. It is my work in progress.
His expounding on CdL’s dreamlike qualities articulates everything I had always felt and imagined about the piece. What a marvelous class.
It’s one thing to play this; to give it justice is so difficult! This analysis is priceless! Thank you!!!
Thank you very much. That gave me new perspectives on it.
On the way to the piano now, bye
I just practiced 3 hours straight watching this video, I'm so excited for my upcoming recital now! Thank you, sir, for this beautiful lesson 🫶
Wonderful, inspiring, and excellent teaching! Thank you so much for this amazing breakdown of how to bring the emotion and musicality of this piece to life. ❤
♥ *Yes!* Such a great lesson. Many thanks!
That was absolutely brilliant! I learned so much about the layers and interpretation of this piece. How inspiring. Thank you!
Wonderful tutorial! Thank you!
Wonderful pianist, wonderful musician, wonderful human being
That piano (Yamaha?) sounds wonderful. I've always admired precision in a piano's action.
This has been an immeasurable help. I have watched this countless times. It is a privilege to be able to learn from Monsieur Bavouzet. Who has such deep insight into the piece. The images he has described have accompanied me throughout learning the piece.
Is there any chance he might do another tutorial on debussy? The reverie or first arabesque maybe? Thank you so much for this!
This made my day.
Thanks for your brilliant explanation Sir.
Thanks you for this. Your Haydn has truly opened up the transcendent value of his work.
Merci beaucoup professeur
Ça m’encourage beaucoup à étudier cette pièce
Learned a lot from this after just having learned all of the notes!
Merci infiniment pour ces conseils d'interprétation. 🎹
Excellent playing👍🏼 As well as great piano. Fantastic sound❤️
What a great lesson this is. It helped me so much! We need more videos like this!
After this ended, all I could say was Wow. Amazing. Loved this.
By far the best analysis, insight and instruction into this sublime piece of music. Bravo🎹👍👍
31:25 "..the most important note". I found this fascinating as I did not know Debussy had said this, but have thought exactly the same when practicing the piece. It is so true because it changes the expression of the second playing of the main melody. Thank you for a great lesson.
excellent interpretation and really beautiful
Beautiful- thank you
This is an absolute gem.
Oh this guys explanation is so good !
Merci!! This is delightful to listen to, I love the accent, expression, and the insights on playing this magnificent piece. I am trying to learn it on the harp, ginormous challenge!
Excellent teaching for this music. I appreciate your wealth of knowledge in understanding Debussy and his composition. Thank you for such a wealth of advice.
so helpful to think in layers
Thanks that is amazing. I've been learning this peice lately and it is really great to see a master play it and even greater to see him instruct it.
This finally convinced me that I'm not ready for this piece.
This is wonderful. Thank you!!
Thank you!!!!!!! Feel like I've improved by leaps and bounds just from playing along with this, so helpful!
This has to be one of my favourite classics; It just triggers something happy but also emotional inside me. 🥹🥰 I could listen to it 100 times..
Thank you for such a thoughtful breakdown of this piece and exposing layers I never knew existed. I’m relearning this song with a completely new light on it!
Really appreciate the deep knowledge and wisdom with beautiful artistic articulation. Only sadness is he did not talk about pedals :(
Wonderful! Thank you for this masterclass !
I love this piece of music do struggle playing it but I don't care I still have a go at it . I love the bottom D flat(I love the sound of this) note because I know some wonderful music is coming
YES!
It definitely sounds like moon, love, and water. I always believes it was about moonlight over the water, viewed by someone in love, but I did not know what Claude Debussy was thinking or feeling. It just paints that picture for me, and makes me fall in love with it, or at least my heart resonates with the love imbued into the magical music.
Your direction regarding using the arm to influence the right hand reminds me of my bowing on the violin, especially switching between strings.
Sometimes I put a bit more emphasis on the down bow and my arm plays a role in that moevment similarly to how I see you playing.
Ah, you are so right about the coda being liek the remembering of the dream. Very good analogy!
WONDERFUL... thank you... All the VERY BEST!
Wow ! That's how it was played , I finally understood, thank you teach very much !
I have worked on this piece for years and this was a revelation! Wonderful. Thank you
Thank you, that was a masterclass and opened my mind to telling the story of a piece when playing which I had never considered before!
Thank you so much! 😊
wonderful!!
Priceless!! Thank you so much for making and sharing this video. I am currently learning Clair de Lune , it is such an exquisite and beautiful piece of work by Debussy❤❤❤❤
voila qui donne envie de se mettre immediatement au piano et de travailler cette piece. merci !
Thanks for sharing! This is helpful
Très magnifique! Beautiful playing and explanation. Helps to know a bit of French for when he throws some French words here and there. 👏
Just fantastic -
thank you
Great master lesson! Thank you!
Great lesson, many thanks.
Magical.
How interesting listen to you and watch 😢his video! I just want to learn this piece...❤
Extraordinary. But couldn’t we hear him play it straight through? For fifty years I have only tooled around with the piano. I could only ever dream of playing Clair de Lune. I have barely enough knowledge to appreciate this deep dive into one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. My only comment: I love Paul Barton’s more deliberate interpretation.
Get the score in C and try that.
Thank-you!
Thanks!
Marvellous thank you
Perfect 👌
Magnifique!
He's just got the right accent to play this beautiful song
26:32 what is The name of The melody from Ravel he refers to? Edit: it is "Un Barque sur l'ocean"
thank you.... 🙏
I love this piece. The only thing I might enjoy seeing is it played on a harp.
My favorite sections broken down 17:45 20:25
1:05 "In french we don't say half of the written text". True, so true 😂
This must be the correct way to play Clair de lune, because it is the way I play it :) Whether the written arpeggios should be played left hand then right hand, or both at the same time, does vary from pianist to pianist.
Such a lovely interpretation. One question about the arpeggios at 17:37, open for anyone to answer. I saw on another channel they recommended playing the left and right hand arpeggio simultaneously, rather than rolling from the left hand to right. Both sound nice, but which one do you think DeBussy intended?
Thank you for this course. I used to play as a teenager over 20 years ago. My teacher would bring in concert pianists to provide master classes for his top students. I really enjoy your teaching style. You give visualizations and emotions, not just rigid technical pointers. Of course nothing beats the instant feedback of a live teacher, but this video can act as a students handbook for learning this piece. I'm getting the itch to start playing again.
Wow
I’ve been playing piano for 5 weeks. I can play the first bit with one hand. It’s suitable for a beginner. But I dream of being able to play it soon. But I don’t know what some of the notes are yet. So I am reading theory to learn.
Can someone explain 29:55 were he says "you have to read it as a coral, and spread it over the arpeggio"?
Thanks
He means as a choir
No other classical piece moves me as this piece does.
Even his accent is premium.
26:12. 26:26 26:42
reminds me of Vengerov's style of teaching
Your interpretation of this piece is SPOT ON! No doubt about that...BUT....THAT is exactly what AI can't stand about classical musician: It's from TOP to BOTTOM: "HOW DOES THE COMPOSER WANT YOU TO PLAY THE PIECE. To your knowledge(REASON WHY I'm hear listening to you!) I've just finished studying this piece. It took me 3 weeks to get it down(this piece contains NO 'BAD-PLAYABLE' PARTS). As I'm used to study about 6 or 7 pianist before 'downloading' a piece, I discovered very early that THEY ALMOST ALL OMIT A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THEM AND THE PIECE. It's ALL 'Debussy means this and Debussy means that' and 'you have to count here 2 and there 3 and there 4. COME ON MAN: THIS IS MUSIC. HOW ABOUT A DIALOGUE WITH YOUR OWN FEELINGS..........NO OFFENCE INTENDED!!
The piece, the way it is ment to be played comes from one's perspective. Debussy's in this case. Ofc you can do your own interpretation, wich will change the perception. Music is subjective to the listener. What you express will be different for many people. But by distinct expressions, the impression that the pianist wants to deliver will reach more people objectively due to it's nature ( by being played the way it is explained ). Meaning " imposing " to feel what wants to be felt by the pianist.
Pieces like these would not have the impact they have, if expressed in different ways. That does not mean, a different way would be " wrong " if done so, but different, wich requires changes in either rhytm or harmony, wich again leads to the " nullification " of importance of specific transitions / notes that have any impact.
To simplify, taking the D Flat towards the end. Imagine changing rhytm / tonality to this single " expression ". I call it an " expression ", because that's what debussy wants to highlight. It's his way of telling a story wich makes the piece complete. Not only does this NEED to be played that way in order to be recognized as " Clair de lune ", but it hase a purpose. It's a distinct expression, wich STILL is subjective to the listener, but objectively delivered by the composer to leave you with the freedom of interpretation.
If that makes any sense.
At the end it means, music is subjective, no matter what.
NO WAY: I'm NOT talking about changing THE NATURE of the tune. Iwould NEVER do that. I'm talking about QUITTING this 'rat race' about WHO'S interpretation is closest to e.g. Beethoven/Chopin/Mozart etc. Let me give you an example: take THE BRIDGE in CHOPIN'S nocturne op. 20 in C minor. EVERYBODY(on You Tube) plays it FAST. WHY: BECAUSE CHOPIN SAID SO...RIGHT! But if you look at the nature of the AA section of this tune: THIS IS BEAUTIFULLY SLOW. it's in fact 'danceble slow'. So there is EVERY REASON-should you feel so-to continue this BRIDGE slow-should you feel to. THIS is what I mean with 'a dialogue between YOU and THE PIECE. Now go and listen to chopin's nocturne op. 20 in C minor and then come back to continue the discussion....OK!!
Show more of his hands -- from over his his shoulders ??
25:23