Saturday 8 January 2011
Tune of the Day: Arabesque No. 1
by Claude Debussy, arranged for Flute and Harp
The Two Arabesques (Deux arabesques in French) are two of Debussy's earliest works, composed between the years 1888 and 1891, when the composer was still in his twenties.
The first arabesque is in the key of E major, and is marked “Andantino con moto”, which suggests a tempo a little faster than “Andante”. Debussy seems to wander through modes and keys, and achieves evocative scenes through music. The opening arpeggio suggests a water flow eventually leading into a heavier section, which leaves place to a quieter central section in A major.
An electronic rendition of this arabesque is the theme music to PBS's show Star Gazer. The piece is also used in Alicia Keys's “Like the Sea”, from her album The Element of Freedom.