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Debussy's Clair de Lune: Left Hand Thirds Arpeggio Problem

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Dave

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Opening post by Dave

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Hi everyone, I have been a bit absent during this period due to various commitments and problems, but I never stopped following you, even if very briefly due to daily commitments and duties. ๐Ÿ™‚

During this period, I studied Debussy's Arabesque L66 and since that day I have fallen in love with this composer, as well as Clair de Lune, which tore my soul out upon the first listen. I have finished studying it, but I have a problem in the central part when the left hand arpeggiates with thirds on the 4th and 5th fingers, and I find this passage very difficult, also because it must be performed quite fast and this creates problems for me; I was tempted to perform the arpeggio without the thirds, i.e., making it easier by playing only the lowest note, but I don't like making things easy, I love challenges, I am stubborn... ๐Ÿ™‚

Can you give me some suggestions on how to study this passage? Thank you. I am posting a photo of the measures in question.

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Reply 2 by Thesimon

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If I remember correctly, I studied them all with 5-4 fingering. First, study only the thirds on the strong beat with 5-4 without performing the arpeggio. Then add the arpeggio once the finger positions on the bass are clear in your head. Obviously, always very slowly and then trying to speed up because, if you remember as we have already said many times, the technical solutions and fingerings used during slow practice are not always usable when speeding up a piece...

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Reply 3 by Dave

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Thank you Simone, very kind as always, I will try as you say and then I will post the video during the week. ๐Ÿ™‚

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