Debussy, "Reverie" for piano

A work Debussy didn´t appreciate

Claude Debussy, the French composer and creator of dreamy atmospheres on the piano, did not hesitate to express his regret when a Parisian editor decided to publish an old manuscript he had found scattered about among the composer's other works. And he sent him a note: "I am very sorry for your decision to publish it... I wrote it long ago, in a hurry, for exclusively commercial purposes." Irritated, he added: "It is an unimportant work and, frankly, I don't think it has any value."

But the author was wrong. Along with the famous Claire de Lune, the short piano piece he titled "Reverie" is today one of his most recognized works, by all audiences.

As the straggling manuscript was forever delayed, the only irrefutable certainty, in terms of dates, is that of its publication, by the intrepid editor, in 1890. But it is supposed to have been composed between 1880 and 1884, that is, when the author was in his early twenties. Reverie must therefore be considered a milestone. It would represent the first known stage in which Debussy makes use of an "impressionistic" musical language. (His also famous Deux Arabesques – which could compete for the label – are dated between 1888-91). Thus, the language that over the years would become the author's personal stamp is present, for the first time, in Reverie.

Reverie, for piano, L. 68

The composer never assigned opus numbers to his works. In 1977, the French musicologist François Lesure created the first catalog of Debussy's works (modified in 2001). Hence, the identifying "L".

The piece begins with an arpeggiated accompaniment that relies on the weak beats of the bar. The melodic singing, on the other hand, is heard, diligently, in the strong beats, thus generating a sensation of instability that will be maintained for several measures, as if the piece could not settle down. The left hand travels widely across the keyboard creating harmonies rich in "retards" (seconds, sevenths, ninths), thus increasing the dreamy atmosphere.

The arrangements
The piece has been transposed to various instruments, arranged in a thousand ways, and used ad nauseam in advertising of all kinds. Debussy was right when he said he composed it for commercial purposes. What he did not know was that the enchantment would last more than a hundred years.

The performance is by a brilliant German pianist who uploads her own recordings to Youtube, identifying herself only as "Strawberrypianist".

Thanks, Strawberry...