Friday, June 12, 2009

Phantom Notes



Bring the above excerpt (measures 35 and 36 of Debussy's Clair de Lune to a piano, and listen for the phantom C on the second beats of both measures. The D flats at the ends of both first beats definitely resolve to C, as a result of the soon-to-be-arpeggiated F minor chords in the left hand, but the magic happens without the piano key being touched, and before the middle C in the left hand is sounded.

Perhaps the magic of Debussy is partially in the notes that the fingers never touch.

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