Pedal Shading
in Chopin and Debussy
Thomas Mastroianni
Pedal Shading
The Pedal is not an “on/off” device
Pedal depth and timing influences tone color
and intensity
The amplitude and overtones of string
vibration is influenced by nearness of the
damper to the string during vibration.
Sympathetic vibration of unstruck strings
influences tone color.
Pedal, String and Damper
Dampers
String
Pedal
100%
40%
15%
0
Dampers
Degrees of separation from strings
Partial pedal
depression
Partial pedal
release
Pedal Timing
LEGATO PEDALING
Tap Pedaling
Pedal Slur
Ballade # 1 end of 1st theme
“Bel Canto” Accompaniment
Ballade #1 1st Theme L.H.
Selective Pedaling (Timing)
Pedal Melody notes for warmth
Avoid pedal on Accompaniment notes
Pedal Shading
Ballade # 1 2nd Theme:
Various Degrees Of Pedal Depth
To Shade Line Of The Melody
(Greatest warmth on the Eb harmony)
Quarter Pedal
Ballade # 1
closing theme:
Misty, blurred effect – dampers touch but
do not press to arrest string vibrations
Progressive, Incremental
Changes of Pedal Depth to Create
Distance Perspective
Opening of Ballade # 4:
Introduction begins in the distance and
gradually becomes more resonant as it
approaches the entry of the 1st theme.
Begin with ¼ pedal depth, progress to ½, ¾
and finally full pedal depth.
Progressive, Incremental
Changes of Pedal Depth to Create
Distance Perspective
Ballade # 1 Opening of Introduction:
Begin with full pedal depth and
gradually reduce the pedal depth
through the opening bars to reach the
apex of the first ascending passage
to create a distance perspective for the
tenderness of the arrival point.
Ballade # 4 - 1st Theme in 6/8
Greater clarity of pedal changes on bar
lines helps to delineate 6/8 time and
prevent the feeling of 3/8 time.
Repetition of melodic figures beginning
on the bar are thus differentiated from
similar melodic figures off the bar.
3 Variants of Theme I in
Ballade # 4
Pedal Changes for Variety and
Clarity
in Countrapuntal Variants
Impressionistic Effects
Recapitulation of 2nd theme in Ballade # 4
Fluctuations between 1/8 and ¼ pedal depth
to clarify the thick broth of left hand scales in
the bass.
Very shallow pedal attenuates and strains out
the dense mixture of overtones resulting from
adjacent bass notes.
Final Variant of 1st Theme in the
Recapitulation of Ballade # 4
Clear pedal changes rob the fioratura of
mystery. Too much pedal hinders tone
quality and creates density rather than
mystery in the f minor section.
As the fioratura recedes into triplets in
the Ab major phrase, more pedal and
higher energy leads to the brilliance of
the 3rd phrase.
Short pedal length enhances
clarity and rhythmic excitement
in the Coda of Ballade # 4
Extending the Length of the
Damping Interval
Harp Etude (Chopin Op. 25 # 1)
Reduced Length of Pedal Depression
Pedaling The Inner Voice Rather
Than The Melody
Harp Etude (Chopin Op. 25 # 1)
Claude Debussy
No Customary Pedal Indications.
Context and Notation Implies
Pedaling
Holding Sustained Bass without
Sostenuto Pedal
Clair de lune - P. 2
Blending Colors
Les sons et les parfumes tournent dans
l’air du soir.
p.13 m. 1
Distant French Horn Effect - bottom p. 15
Bass Note Length
Indicates Pedal Duration
Prelude v. 1, # 1, p.1
Whole note bass vs. two half note basses
Prelude v. 1, # 3, p.9 (Le Vent dans le
plaine)
Slurs Across Bar Lines
Prelude v. 1, # V, p.16
(Les collines d’Anacapri)
L’isle joyeuse - B theme
- final bars
Verbal Indications In The Score
Prelude v. 1, # 9, p. 33 (La sérénade
interrompue) (“les deux pédales)
Sostenuto Pedal and
Retaking Notes
Prelude v. 1, # VIII, p. 31 (La fille aux
cheveux de lin)
p. 32 final bars
Listening for Better Pedaling
The Pedal is a Partner for Good Phrasing and
Good Tone
No Pedal Technique Can Make an Aimless
Phrase Sound Beautiful
The Ear Dictates Pedaling Once the Music is
Comprehended, Just as the Tone of Voice
Carries the Meaning of a Verbal Sentence.