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I have a question on fingering and which hands to use. If you don't have the music for Clair de lune its on <a href="http://www.sheetmusicarchive.net">Sheet music archive</a href>
The question is at Measure: 27 on page 2. You have three sets of arpeggios.

Question is...
On the last arpeggio :Ab, Fb, Ab, Cb, Fb(With a Db above it) and a Ab.

Is the Ab, Fb, Ab (First three notes in the left hand) and the rest played with the right, becuase the Fb with the Db on top of it feels wierd.

Fingering would also be appreciated...

In the book I have (50 Greats for the Piano by Yamaha), it suggests from low to high:

Ab, no finger given
Fb, 2
Ab, 1
Cb, 1
Fb + Db, 2 + 5
Ab, 3.

So it would seem lowest 3 with left hand, upper 3 + Db with right hand. You were spot on.

Hope this helps!

I play 4 in the left and 2 in the right for all three, helps preserve the rhythm and not bring them out as two groups of three.

http://img273.imageshack.us/img273/7051/debussy7xa.jpg

I do 4 with the LH and 2 with the RH. For the LH fingering, I use 5-3-2-1 and for the RH I use 1-3 with 5 on the Db.

Unlike JPW, I break it up as 4/2, 3/3, and 4/2 instead of consistently breaking it in groups of 4/2. I guess I never really even thought about it. The "uneven" breaking seems to work for my hand, but I do want to try the consistent 4/2 approach. When I get home to my piano I'll give it a go. If it works for your hand, I'd probably recommend staying with 4/2 - consistency in fingering is a good thing...

I should add, the 4-2 break also helps avoid any kind of stretching in the r.h. that the 3-3 breaks necessitate if your hands are anything like mine. The less tension in the hand, the better - especially in this passage.

Judging by these later posts, i should maybe add that i have never played the piece. I just saw it in the book and thought i would pass on the details from it to answer your query.

If the other posters are giving advice through playing the piece, then feel free to disregard my post, its always better to gain first hand knowledge from experienced pianists who have examined, and played the piece in question.

Skriabin,
Like you, this measure got my attention.

My book (Debussy selected works for piano, edited by Keith Snell) only shows right hang fingering in this measure: the duplets are 5-4, 5-4, and 5-2. Also, the way the music is written gives one the impression that the left hand plays 4, 3, and 3 notes in the three arpeggios. I find this is doable (I have a medium sized hand), but a bit awkward to reach left to play the C flat with my right thumb on the third arpeggio and then lift the thumb and reach right to play the final duplet with 5-2; I play the last note of the measure (A flat) with 4, then start the next measure with 4-3.

But, to me, the crucial thing is to not play the final A flat too loudly. In fact, when I hear this played well, the final A flat of the measure is almost lost because it is sandwiched between the D flat before it carrying the melody, and the A flat that starts the next measure and carries the melody. If the last A flat in the arpeggio is played to loudly, it hurts the musicality. BTW if you omit it entirely, you can hear how the melody should sound.

If the above fingering is awkard, I also have found the following useful: Using my left hand I play 4, then 3, then 4 notes of the arpreggios; To accomplish this in the third arpeggio, I cross my left index finger over my thumb to play the C flat. That allows me to play the right hand duplet 1-5, play the final A flat of the measure with 3, then start the next measure using 2-3. I have to lift my fingers off 2-3 to complete the first arpeggio of the next measure, but the pedal is down anyway so it doesn't seem matter.

Hope this helps.