Description
Debussy's first major piano work, Pour le piano, was published in 1901. The contemplative middle movement, a grave Sarabande in the old style, had already been written in 1894 and was first published in a newspaper supplement in 1896. This early version was later slightly revised for the complete work. The Sarabande quickly gained popularity and was even orchestrated by Ravel. The opening Prélude evokes Javan gamelan music with its ringing gongs, while the virtuosic Toccata finale was so demanding that the pianist Ricardo Viñes had to repeat it at the premiere.
