Claude Debussy ： Preludes 1 “Ce qu’a vu le vent d’ouest” As-Dur

The seventh piece in Book I of the Preludes, this miniature is filled with the forceful momentum and tension suggested by the image of the wind in its title. Rapid, fluid figurations, sweeping movement across a wide register, and sharp accents drive the music forward from the opening. Contrasting passages emerge within the intense motion through changes of register and dynamics, while the momentum continues to build toward the end. In performance, rapid passages should retain clarity and a strong sense of direction, with carefully controlled attack to keep the sonority from becoming blurred. Restrained pedaling helps clarify the movement of the individual voices and the sudden changes of expression, bringing out the piece’s vivid impact.