Debussy Reverie - Easy Arrangement

Claude Debussy: Rêverie

PDF Sheet music, piano solo
Simple Solutions arrangement by Henrik Kilhamn

Approximate Grade: 5
Scale 1 - 8: Beginner - Advanced

Key: F major, same as original

This lovely piece by the early and romantic Debussy should really be enjoyed much more than it is! The dreamy atmosphere in the starting section is actually not that difficult, here only the LH harmony span is made shorter, but the moving middle section is rightfully scaring people off with its quick chord jumps and demands of holding several voices in each hand. This is made much easier here by settling for only the top line in RH (which is still plenty!) and slower chords in LH. The complex texture of the return of the main section where the hands alternate to play the melody is also left in the original in favor of a simple restatement. The chorale sections are left mostly intact but with the density of chord notes somewhat reduced.

This arrangement is included in Simple Solutions VOLUME 3 - Nights & Dreams (Intermediate ~ Grade 5)

Also, check out:
Simple Solutions VOLUME 1 (Elementary ~ Grade 3)
Simple Solutions VOLUME 2 (Intermediate ~ Grade 5)

ABOUT SIMPLE SOLUTIONS

This is for everyone who loves the great piano repertoire but haven’t (yet) developed the skill required to master it. After all, the big composers wrote music for professional musicians, and it takes many years of studies to achieve a level sufficient to play their pieces as written. However, the musical material can be separated into melody, harmony, rhythms, and textures, and in some cases simplified while preserving the core ideas. This is what I have done in these arrangements of some of the most beloved piano melodies by the great composers. In this easier setting, you will instead have enough time on your hands (literally!) to bring the music to life and care about those aspects that often otherwise come second: phrasing, articulation, dynamics, and balance. This will help you develop your over-all musicality, which will be of great value in all other pieces as well.

I believe you have the right to enjoy playing this great music with your own hands, even when the original writing is beyond your present level or would require too much time and effort. In the end, if you feel ready for a challenge and want to go forward with proper piano studies that requires years of practice—the originals are always there. In the meantime, these arrangements will bring you close to the same enjoyment, because all musical ideas are carefully conserved.

They are just a little bit easier.