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Last year I had a chance to learn an adaption of Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy, which was a great opportunity to learn and share. Learning the adapted version was a kickstart towards wanting to learn the actual piano solo. Here is the YouTube adapted by John Thompson. Hope you enjoy it.
Yet Carol Matz, a piano composer, shared an arrangement that I started work on with two of my piano students these past weeks. They love the "simplicity" of the melody, yet playing something "bigger than themselves", which sounds exactly like Debussy. Matz creates a delicate-sounding arrangement of the section of Clair de Lune that people recognize, love, and cherish. The song is written in the Key of C Major, with accidentals throughout the three pages. She presents the meter in 3/8, which will help as the original song is 9/8 and the Key of Db. So the student is prepared for the shift in meter and Key Signature later.
Matz utilizes pedaling throughout the piece, delineating when the student is it press and lift the pedal. She makes sure to use eighth, dotted quarter, and sixteenth notes throughout the piece. My favorite part of the song is the 16th note section, where arpeggiated C Major, Eb Major, and E minor chords flow mostly in the ascending pattern. She keeps the dynamics at p and mp and concludes with a ritardondo of pp with arpeggiated ascending C Major chords. This piece is a great starter point for students and those listening. This is probably my favorite arrangement to teach, besides the John Thompson adaption. Makes me want to learn the original song.
The song is currently free, yet you need to go to this link and sign up for free songs from Carol Matz.
Here is the YouTube I performed last week.
Hope you enjoy this arrangement to learn yourself or teach your students. They will have tons of fun. Thanks for your support. Blessings.