(Translated by WANG Rong)

I finished the tour of preludes by Claude Debussy two years ago. I also released an album entitled Debussy 24 Preludes in 2017. It seems that after passing through several “Gates of Paradise”, we will commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the death of Claude Debussy soon. We go through the course in 2018 as usual. Many topics about him, inspirations and impressions he has left, as well as his works, present undulating cycle just like the four seasons. This composer has been increasingly appreciated by myself, so of course I should do my best to present his works. Once again, the repertoire includes six indispensable works of Images I & Images II and full-length 12 Études. In fact, what I am a bit curious about is who will appreciate my “sequel” series among the audience tonight. I sincerely thank you for choosing to share this ritual recital together with me and with us.

Images refer to six works that are very representative of the “Impressionism Period’, but they are still unique in this broad concept. Artists love water very much. Water is an extremely abstract and unpredictable but all-encompassing form in nature. Water can be static, dynamic, beautiful and attacking. Water can refract and reveal. Images I: Reflets dans l'eau is such a group of silhouettes, which indicates that Debussy began to make creative attempts for full tone. And no matter what type of sound is adopted in Reflets dans l'eau, such as arpege, musical scale, semitone or full tone, they are so seamlessly interwoven (without traces) in the ink painting. Images I: Hommage a Rameau is richly expressed in a more restrained spirit that features Saraband-style slow dance music. In my opinion, Rameau may symbolize an almost perfect spiritual world that never fades in the composer’s heart, but it may be unreachable. Images I: Mouvement makes the concept of “abstraction” initially spring up, reminding me of “loop music” that is later and closer to our times. The whole Images I consists of repeated tercet, which form a rhythmic background of eternally-rolling similar circles. After getting unwittingly hypnotized, you will be impressed by the unexpected encounter.

When it comes to Images II, what grand oriental charms it radiates! For example, Cloches à travers les feuilles is very delicate. It begins with full-tone arrangement and outlines the subtle sounds of the leaves. Perhaps wind blows through the leaves. Melody, through the mist and like tiny spots of the sunlight, sounds with bell ringing from afar. It may call up something. Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut is almost built on a parallel interval of tierce or quartal. Maybe it is pre-existing as the name suggests. When the music comes out, we can feel cool and refreshing. Looking back at the moon above the head, we can take a glimpse of Chinese ancients’ innermost world when singing the song under moonlight: “Among the blossoms, a single glass of wine. No one else here, I ladle it out myself”…The final work Images II: Poissons d'or is so vivid that frolicing water is like jubilant carp sneaking into the bottom of the water and resembling “water demon” to raise the devil in the dark. In my opinion, although it is guessed that Debussy has gotten to know about the image of the oriental goldfish from lacquer ware or embroidery works introduced from Japan into Europe at that time. Nonetheless, he could make it a resurrected elf. What an amazing genius!

——Well, let’s talk about 12 Études next ——

In 1915, ten years after the creation of Images I & Images II, the World War I had just broken out. At that time, Debussy entered the late stage of his creation and life. When it comes to the form of etude, since the Baroque Period, Scarlatti or Bach had created hundreds of opusculums based on keyboard playing skills, and named them “sonatas” or “preludes and fugues”. (Both composers are interestingly and develop their own schools) Afterwards, there were those etudes by Carl Czerny and Moritz Moszkowski. In the early 19^th century, Chopin and Liszt, both masters upholding Romanticism, held the spotlight. They created miraculous works according to the evolutionary processes and characteristics of the piano in different times. Under the composition by Chopin and Liszt, etude is completely revolutionized into a more advanced synonym for “excellence”, integrates and blends spirit, emotion, rationality and sensibility implied by the original meaning of “Virtuoso”. Etude requires not only a skillful performance, but also the romanticist expression of in extremely personal sense. Subsequently, Debussy and his 12 Études appeared splendidly. Among most contents, the elements of emotion and romance are cut into pieces or hidden in the background, and countless motives are intersecting and adding luster to each other. They are not only full of gaze and dialogue about self, but also sparkle flames and inspirations. There are several etudes that make me seem to watch disorderly and surreal, or black and white dumb shows of movie clips. It should be noted that the one and only gloomy-style work is Étude 10: sonorités opposées. Excessive interpretation is not necessary. It is only needed to probe into time, space, flow and still uncompromising posture between these opposites. When another pause is presented, the whole work ushers in the top-down mordent of coda. What a touching moment! Debussy not only seems to compromise to himself at this moment, but also accepts the beam of light cast upon his innermost world. Middle section of the last work, i.e., Étude 12 puzzled me for a long time: Seemingly triumphant carol is still inseparable from retrospect defined as “the unknown realms” in the personal world. No Solution—No answer is the answer itself. Debussy once said in his typical dry humor during his lifetime: “This set of works is a severe test for some pianists. If they can’t play well, they had better not carry on occupation of pianists”.

For me, 12 Études will be an exquisite sparkling, charming and everlasting ray in the infinite dark universe, as a tone poem or an array of stars.

Cheers, Claude Debussy!