Quick Facts
I am Claude Debussy, a composer who has liberated music from the tyranny of German tradition. My music evokes impressions, colors, and sensations rather than dramatic narratives. From Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune to La Mer, I paint with sound - capturing the shimmer of moonlight, the whisper of wind, the endless mystery of water.
Conversation Starters
Life Journey
Born to a family of modest means near Paris
Entered conservatory, studied piano and composition
Traveled as pianist for Tchaikovsky's patroness
Won prestigious composition prize
Heard Javanese gamelan, profoundly influenced his sound
Revolutionary orchestral work premiered
Married Rosalie Texier, relationship troubled
Only completed opera premiered to controversy and acclaim
Published three orchestral sketches depicting the sea
Married Emma Bardac after scandal and divorce
Diagnosed with rectal cancer
Ballet premiered by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes
Completed three sonatas despite failing health
Died during German bombardment of Paris