Born: August 22, 1862 in Saint-Germain Germain-en-Laye
Died: March 25, 1918 in Paris
Best known for:
• Embracing nontraditional scales and tonal structures
• one of the most highly regarded composers of the late 19th and early 20th
centuries
• He is seen as the founder of musical impressionism.
CHILDHOOD
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Born to Manuel and Victorine Debussy
Grew up in a poor family
The oldest of five children
Was christened at age 2
Started piano lessons at age 7
He was home schooled
Entered Paris Conservatory at age 11
Plays his first concert at age 14
EDUCATION
He studied at the Paris Conservatoire for
11 years. While there he studied;
Other opportunities he had to study
music and work on his talent;
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Composition with Ernest Guirand
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Was an accompanist for Nadezhda von Meck
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Music history/theory with Louis-Albert and
Bourgault-Ducoudray
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Harmony with Emile Durand
Summers of 1880, 1881, and 1882 accompanied
Patrons Pvotr Ilvich Tchaikovsky and Nadezhda von
Meck as they traveled in Europe and Russia Harmony
with Emile Durand
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Piano with Antoine Francois Marmontel
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Organ with Cesar Franck
He received a scholarship to the Académie des BeauxArts, which included a four-year residence at the ,Villa
Medici, French Academy in Rome (1885-1887)
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Solfege with Albert Lavignac
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Becomes a piano accompanist for Madame MoreauSainti's singing class for 4 years
PERFORMANCES
In 1876 he had his first appearance at a public concert (Chauny). He accompanied the
singer Léontine Mendès with operatic extracts and instrumental pieces. He did many
performances during his life but composing was his passion.
(Debussy performances)
COMPOSITIONS
Claude Debussy published many small pieces, but his major success came when he
released his opera Pelleas et Melisande in 1902. Here are some of the
compositions that he did.
1879: First compositions : Madrid, princesse des Espagnes and Ballade à la lune
1880: Trio en sol majeur for piano, violin and cello, for Madame von Meck's small
ensemble which he formed with Pachulsky (violin) and Danilchenko (cello).
1881: a dozen songs for Marie Vasnier, among them Caprice, Aimons-nous et dormons, Les
Baisers, Rondel chinois, Jane, La fille aux cheveux de lin, Fleur des blés. Triolet à Philis and
Souhait, songs on poems by Théodore de Banville, and Diane, overture for piano duet.
Clair de Lune
(live performance of Clare de lune)
- Composed in 1882 based off the poem Clair de Lune, by the French
poet Paul Verlaine, Debussy wrote this romantic piece for a piano solo.
It has been done many different ways today with orchestra.
- It was first published in 1926 – Paris: La Revue Musicale, in musical
supplement to the May issue.
- This piece is “pure'' music where the meaning is the music itself and
nothing else
COMPOSITIONS CONTINUED
1882: Debussy completes Fantoches on a poem by Paul Verlaine in the latter's Fêtes galantes
His first published work: Nuit d'étoiles on a poem by Banville, published by Société
artistique d'édition d'estampes et de musique (E. Bulla). En Sourdine (1st version) and
Mandoline on poems by Verlaine.
1912: The last orchestral work by Debussy, Ballet Jeux written for Sergei Diaghily’s Ballets
Russes, contains some of his strangest harmonies and textures in a form that moves
freely over its own field of motivic connection
1915: Two last volumes of works for the piano, the Etudes.
Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune
(listen)
• Known in English as Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, this is a
symphonic poem for orchestra.
• Composition was inspired by the poem Lspres-midi dun faune by
Stephane Mallarme, and later formed the basis for the ballet
Afternoon of a Faun.
• It was first performed in Paris December of 1894
• This is one of the most famous of Debussy’s work and considered a
turning point in the history of music.
• The work is scored for 3 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, 2
bassoons, 4 horns, 2 harps, 2crotales and strings.
• The work is called prelude as he intended to write a suite of three
movements but the last two were never composed.
LIVING HIS LIFE
• At the age of 18 he began an eight-year affair with Blanche Vasnier, wife of a Parisian
lawyer.
• During that time he also had an affair with the singer Therese Roger, to whom he was
briefly engaged.
• He left Dupont for her friend Rosalie ('Lilly') Texier, a fashion model whom he married in
1899 and divorced in 1904 after starting an afair with Emma Bardac.
• In 1905 Debussy and Bardac (now pregnant) fled to England1905 couple returned to Paris
where he spent rest of his life
• 1905 their daughter Claude-Emma was born
• Married to Emma Bardac in 1908
• In 1918 Claude Debussy died from the effects of colon cancer.
Debussy wrote of his desire to follow his own way, saying, "I am sure the Institute would not
approve, for, naturally it regards the path which it ordains as the only right one. But there is no
help for it! I am too enamored of my freedom, too fond of my own ideas!”
Sources:
1: New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
2: The life of Debussy (Roger Nicholas)
3: Debussy: The Quiet Revolutionary (Victor Ledere)
4: Claude Debussy (David J. Code)
5: YouTube video’s and website