The Snow is Dancing

The Snow is Dancing is the fourth piece in Claude Debussy's delightful Children's Corner. This collection was inspired by his two-and-one-half year old daughter, Chouchou. While pieces such as Doctor Gradas Ad Parnassum and Golliwog's Cakewalk may be the more familiar pieces in this collection, The Snow is Dancing is well worth getting to know. In Oscar Thompson's Debussy Man and Artist Thompson describes Chouchou watching the falling snowflakes through the window and waiting for the return of her "playmate"--the shining sun. This piece is a quiet and light toccata and is a great etude for practicing damper pedal technique. Debussy himself warns the player of using too much damper pedal and suggest using half-pedal. This and the finesse and lightness required of this piece make it by far the most difficult piece of the collection. Czech pianist Ivan Moravec is not a highly celebrated or recognized artist, but the colors he brings out in this interpretation bring the snow to life. Enjoy!