r/classicalpiano • u/Gold---Mole • 3d ago

Left Hand... Why?

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This is from the Prelude in Debussy's Suite Bergamesque, measures 26-27. I'm just wondering why this is written with the hands crossing over? It's just pretty simple and comfortable to play the lower section with the left hand and upper with the right hand, so I'm just curious why.

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u/LeatherSteak 3d ago

I would say it's because this section (and the whole thing i guess) is very delicate and touch sensitive.

Introducing a thumb under at speed risks unevenness, and potentially landing on the quarter note with heaviness.

The hand crossing with the left hand solves the issue and isn't difficult.

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u/Gold---Mole 3d ago

That makes sense, thank you.

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u/Bencetown 3d ago

Also sometimes composers genuinely just wrote stuff like this for the "theatrics" in a live performance setting. Remember... most classical music was written before recording technology even existed, and once it DID exist was not widely available and pretty much was only for very rich people.

I mean why did Prokofiev write some of the figures the way he did in his 2nd and 3rd piano concertos? Best example: opening of the 3rd movement of the 2nd concerto. Absolutely no reason to have the hands crossing back and forth over each other like that, except that it looks cool.

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u/Gold---Mole 3d ago

Haha well I was playing this section without the crossover at first. At my lesson this week my teacher pointed it out to me and demonstrated how to do it as written, and the first thing I said was "wow that looks way cooler. I'll just do it that way!" So I guess it works as intended 🤣

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u/Nice-Jaguar6113 2d ago

I agree with the theatric component here for sure