I like to play this prelude by Debussy when I need a little soft, warm comfort. It’s such a gorgeous little melody bathed in a luminous texture of delicious harmony.

By allowing the symmetry and flow of rhythmic structure or groove to unfold with natural strength, with elastic tempo rubato that never breaks the flow, this piece tells its story with understated power. Without needing to exaggerate or emote, the darkness, melancholy and aching beauty emerge naturally.

In this video, to celebrate Halloween, Phil explores classical piano music that conveys feelings of fear, horror, terror or madness. Liszt, Ravel, Chopin and Debussy sometimes created terrifying, chaotic, or phantasmagorical, ghostly, trembling, frozen, chilling sounds.

In the 5th Prélude from his second book, subtitled “Bruyères”, Debussy gives us a little of the delicious, romantic, melodic style of his earlier works.

Hear the torrential ripples and passionate melody of this magnificent little prelude.

I take a look at how Fauré composed this deceptively simple piece.

2nd movement from Haydn’s Sonata no. 33 in C minor played on a historic piano, which adds a lively rhythmic quality to this lyrical piece.

There’s an epic quality to Chopin’s Nocturne in C minor, with its expansive texture and rich, dark harmonies that are almost like Rachmaninov.

C minor pieces from this time were full of “Sturm und Drang” and this historic piano is great for expressing these dark feelings.