Customer Reviews

Claude Debussy: Piano Music (1888-1905)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've had this edition for about 15 years, and physically it's held up very well. No tearing, binding is still strong, pages are as white as the day I got it.

This is a generous sampling of Debussy's piano music. Some pieces, like L'isle Joyeuse, are not easy listening, though none are as experimental as Debussy became later in life. That said, many pieces, notably the Arabesques and Suite Bergmasque, are pretty and accessible.

Difficulty ranges from moderate (Reverie, Claire De Lune) to virtuosic (Reflets dans l'eau, Mouvement)

The major downside for the pianist is that there are no fingerings at all.

I found Dover's edition of Debussy's piano works to suit my needs very well. I am a student pianist and carry my books around with me all over campus. Some have managed to live the stress of college, such as this edition....while others had to visit the "glue and tape" hospital. Not only is it sturdy, but the print is neither too small or too big and of good quality. My only complaint, is the lack of a commentary on Debussy and his works presented within the text.

I remember this was the first volume of Dover piano music I ever bought, back when I was in high school in 1970 when it was first published. Then it cost exactly four dollars. I have played from it in all the years since then. The front cover long ago disappeared, but true to Dover's standards of sewing the pages in with thread like the best books, the volume is still intact.

This is an generous collection of Debussy's earlier piano music, all from the original editions. A warning however, the original editions come with the original misprints, but most of these are obvious to the eye and ear.

I actually opted to buy this book as I had borrowed one owned by my piano teacher. As my sight reading is weak, what really appealed to me was that the notes and bars are very well spaced out and to me this makes the piece less intimidating to read. However I must point out that I find it a little disappointing that the quality of print is not consistent. A few pages, noticeably the first, suffer from slightly poor print quality. The treble clef in bar 5 is poorly printed and some of the quaver stems also suffer. The rest of the book is well printed.
A small quibble other than which this is a really good book

I have used this particular edition for well over 20 years, and am constantly pleased by its sturdiness and legibility. I heartily recommend the Dover edition, not only of the Debussy, but of any work they may publish.

Bought this book of Debussy's more accessible piano works because it was the book I used as a child taking piano lessons. There are more authorative references out there and better collections of Debussy's works, but this remains a sentimental favorite. The book itself is very well built, will not yellow with age and has a gorgeous full color cover.

I lost my first copy of this book, and I missed it to much I had to buy a new copy. The music is very easy to read, the book lies flat when opened, and the book has an excellent selection of pieces. I just wish Dover would publish all Debussy's piano music in this same format.

This book has a collection of Claude Debussy music for the advanced piano player. The music has many instances of two-against-three patterns with triplets in the right hand and eighth notes in the left hand. That said, this is a beautiful collection of music, with sweeping melodic lines, and beautiful harmonies that one can only expect from Claude Debussy. I give this four out of five stars for the difficulty of the music. One needs to be very proficient to be able to play these daunting left hand passages. Debussy originally trained to be a virtuoso piano player, and it shows in these works.

Anyone looking for a collection of Debussy's piano music look no further. This book is a clean edition, easy to read, lays flat and has withstood over 30 years of moderate use, (of which I am responsible for 3) I don't understand the reviewer who gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars because of the "difficulty of the music." This is definitely a 5, and a must for any Debussy fan.