Claude Debussy (DEB-you-see) was a Romantic composer. Sing with me now: “Romantic harmonies! Like those of Tchaikovsky, and Mendelssohn, Brahms, Holst, and Grieg, all shared their own stories. Ohhhhh, this is the Musical Timeline. It starts with the Early Age, then it’s Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical, Romantic, and not to forget the Modern Day!”

“Deux arabesques” simply means “Two arabesques”, and this piece is the second one. We can call it more concisely “Arabesque No. 2”. An arabesque (air-a-BESK), according to Merriam-Webster, is “an elaborate or intricate pattern”. You can find arabesques in art, architecture, and ballet! Debussy takes the definition of arabesque and applies it to music. Notice the short groups of quick sounds and the movement and energy of the piece. Debussy creates heavier or lighter sounds by moving the notes lower or higher on the piano. It is almost like he is a painter creating darker and lighter colors.

This piece is played only on piano. Can you play along on your own silent piano while you listen to “Arabesque No. 2”?

Review questions:

1. Who is the composer and which musical era is he from?

2. What is the name of this piece?

3. What is an arabesque?

4. Which instrument plays this piece?

5. Can you describe the mood of this piece (happy, sad, majestic, etc.)?