passepied - claude debussy

Playing with light & shadow.

I'm getting better at dancing with the light. When I started my fascination of playing while manipulating light, I thought I would give myself a seizure. Entering and staying in character, I think of my hands as dancers. A pair of sunglasses helps in the blinding light.

Wide angle lens and two mirrors refraction. It’s 5:15 pm sunlight. (I manipulated the arpeture) It’s sauna steaming hot at the piano but I like the way these long sleeves look in the light. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Maybe I’ll record a better version when the weather cools off 🙃

I've listened to many versions of this piece and everyone plays it faster. I also watched several versions of people dancing this Baroque piece but have yet to find a dance company that best demonstrates the piece. I approach piano as a dancer and encourage all my students to take dance classes. You feel music differently. You breath and enjoy transition. There's technique but dance enjoys more organic expression. Less metronome and more heartbeat.

The recording is far from perfect. But I enjoy the ohallenge that the piece demands. I like my students to see my process. Maybe I will post a better version down the road. How to stay serene in blinding light while wondering if I should've put on a bikini to be more comfortable? These are the thoughts that bounce in my head while I work out the choreography of hands in the light. Plus wondering if I drank too much or too little coffee. Will this sound better with wine instead or winter weather? I can't turn on a fan or have the AC on. I'm hot and I'm controlling my thoughts so that you don't watch angry moody hands.

Passepied is a fun piece. Now that its later in the day, I think I will play it for fun, no mirrors, and no camera to fuss with. If you want to hear a better version, come over 😬

JNET