DEBUSSY, Claude

Sonata for cello and piano CD 144

II. Sérénade

David Geringas, guest professor

Mariusz Wysocki, student

Ofelia Montalván, accompanying pianist

At the beginning of the second movement, prof. Geringas corrects the tempo and checks it with a metronome. The professor points out the American jazz influence, and he mentions "The Entertainer" by Scott Joplin. Geringas also indicates how to practice the initial pizzicati to get more sound.  The student should not think that Debussy’s compositions need to be played very rubato, but think how to play them with more metrical accuracy and, from that point on, how to reach the appropriate metrical freedom. About expressiveness, Geringas mentions the character of Lindoro from “The barber of Seville” and he links this moment of the Debussy’s work with a scene about this character and Bartolo.
Besides, the professor thinks about the word “ironic” in the score, and how to carry it out. Based on this, he tells an anecdote about the cellist Eleonore Schoenfeld who used the facial language, and he continues insisting on expressivity and how to get the different characters.
He goes on his lecture giving some instructions about piano dynamic, pizzicato, contrasts or agogics. To conclude with, prof, Geringas comments that this movement is like a theatre with a unique actor.

Language: English