Returning to Charleston this week to present another Piano Portrait.."Debussy and the Sea" found an overflow audience of students, faculty and guests from the area. Charleston Southern University seems to grow bigger with each return visit. A new Band Hall funishes a very nice lecture room with a good Yamaha grand, and this makes an intimate setting. This new program shows the influence of Asian art and music on French musicians and artists in the late 19th, early 20th centuries. Paris was the scene of several International Expos, which brought people from all over the globe, especially the Far East. "La Mer" of Debussy bridges this divide beautifully, influenced as it is by the Gamelan orchestras brought over from Java and Bali for these expos. I wondered if the beautiful transcription by Lucien Garban might be a rather heavy dose for the listener, but I was delighted that the reception was so cordial and warm. When you think of the momumental influece of this score on composers who followed Debussy, it becomes apparent that our ears have long ago absorbed this idiom.
I have found playing a great symphonic work in transcription focuses the ear on the principle line of the piece, the definite shifts in harmonic direction, and the importance of highlighting thematic material. Keeping the underneath, supporting lines in proportion is the greatest challange. I learned a lot from this experience, and look forward to adding this work.."La Mer"...to my repertoire.
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