Debussy, Claude

Born Achille-Claude Debussy on August 22, 1862, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, he became one of the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Surrounded by the sounds of his modest family (his father ran a china shop which, alas, didn’t quite take off) and his mother a seamstress. Debussy’s true calling lay beyond porcelain and needles and he entered France’s prestigious Conservatoire de Paris at the tender age of ten, where he studied pianoand gained a reputation as a bit of a rebel causing some consternation amongst his professors at the Conservatoire with his unconventional ideas. But Debussy persisted, and it took him years to find his style

Debussy is often associated with Impressionism, although he didn’t like being labelled as such. His music, like Monet’s brushstrokes, captured fleeting moments, light, and atmosphere. His orchestral works shimmer: “Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune” (a languid afternoon with a mythical faun), the dreamy “Nocturnes”, and the evocative “Images”. These weren’t just notes; they were watercolors in sound.

His works on the piano include his “Images” suite — two books, each with three pieces — and takes us on a journey from the rippling reflections in water (“Reflets dans l’eau”) to a tribute to the Baroque master Rameau (“Hommage à Rameau”), and even golden fish darting through musical currents (“Poissons d’or”).

Debussy’s music was a rebellion against Wagner’s grand operatic waves and the German tradition. He sought new shores, and his symphonic sketches danced like sun-kissed waves in “La mer”. His piano works—24 Préludes and 12 Études—were like secret gardens of harmony. He set poetry to music, his notes caressing verses from various poets, including his own. He Influenced composers From Béla Bartók to Olivier Messiaen, George Benjamin to jazz pianist Bill Evans