Debussy, C :: Deux Arabesques [Two Arabesques]

Other than his magical piece for solo flute, Syrinx and his Sonata for flute, viola and harp, Claude Debussy wrote no chamber music for flute. To fill this void, here is an arrangement of both Arabesques (originally for piano) for four flutes, which is similar in spirit to the arrangements of these relatively early works that were commonplace during Debussy's lifetime. In this version, all four parts make musically equal demands on the performers, who are given a valuable opportunity to deepen their practical understanding of these and of other works by this great master.

The first Arabesque is transposed up a half-step to facilitate its execution. In the second piece, the fourth part is best played on a flute with a B footjoint; for ensembler without this instrument, the piece can be played with equally satisfying results if the fourth part follows the directions concerning the octaves.