Composer
Claude Debussy
French classical composer (1862–1918)
1862–1918
1,660 works and musical collections
- Born
- 1862
- Died
- 1918
- Birthplace
- Saint-Germain-en-Laye
- Place of death
- 16th arrondissement of Paris
- Citizenship / historical state
- France
- Period (estimated from birth year)
- Modern
Biography
Debussy changed what the piano could sound like, and his music is notated with unusual precision about pedal, dynamics and voicing because those things are the substance rather than the decoration.
Clair de lune is the most-bought piano piece in this catalogue and one of the most misjudged: it is not difficult to read and it is very difficult to play well, because it depends entirely on control of quiet dynamics and pedal. The Children's Corner suite and the two books of Arabesques are the realistic starting points. The Préludes and Images are advanced.
Editions matter here for an unusual reason: his pedal markings and enharmonic spellings are deliberate and older "improved" editions altered both. Buy an edition that follows the original text, and treat any collection that regularises his notation as a warning sign.
Life and musical career
- Occupations
- composer; pianist; music critic
- Education
- Conservatoire de Paris
- Recorded memberships
- Royal Swedish Academy of Music
- Instruments played
- piano
- Genres
- opera; classical music; impressionist music
- Movements
- impressionism in music; Symbolism
- Selected notable works
- Pelléas et Mélisande; Préludes; Children's Corner; La Damoiselle élue; Suite bergamasque; Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune; Petite Suite; Deux arabesques; String Quartet; La mer; Images; PrincessesJeux de princess
- Birth name
- Claude Achille Debussy
- Languages used
- French
- VIAF ID
- 6219636
- ISNI
- 0000000121190614
- GND ID
- 118524186
- Library of Congress ID
- n79132137
- MusicBrainz ID
- be50643c-0377-4968-b48c-47e06b2e2a3b
Recorded in Wikidata. Affiliations may refer to earlier stages of the composer's career.
In this catalogue
- Common listed instruments
- Piano, Voice, Clarinet, Flute, Harp
- Genres represented
- Classical, Jazz, Pop, Children, Christmas
- Source entries with composition dates
- 118
These details describe the indexed sheet music, including arrangements.
Catalogue
Sheet music catalogue page 14 of 35
Instruments describe listed editions, including arrangements. Composition dates and keys appear where recorded; collection pages show their individual contents.
| Title | Work details | Listed instruments | Sheet music |
|---|---|---|---|
| La damoiselle élue | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Danse Sacrée et Danse Profane |
| See edition details | View sheet music |
| Hommage à Haydn | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Images (Prèmiere Série) | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| L'Isle Joyeuse | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Mandoline | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Work & excerpts Le martyre de Saint Sébastien | See work details | Check individual editions | View sheet music |
| Masques |
| See edition details | View sheet music |
| Nocturne | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Nocturnes | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Pantomime | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Le Petit Nègre | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Pierrot | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| La plus que lente |
| See edition details | View sheet music |
| Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune |
| See edition details | View sheet music |
| Preludes, Premiere Livre | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Work & excerpts Preludes (Book 2) | See work details | Check individual editions | View sheet music |
| Rêverie | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| 2 Romances | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Work & excerpts Suite Bergamasque | See work details | Check individual editions | View sheet music |
| Syrinx |
| See edition details | View sheet music |
| Valse Romantique |
| See edition details | View sheet music |
| 6. Romance:Voici que le printemps | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| CINQ POEMES DE | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| 8. Le Balcon | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| 9. Harmonie du soir | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| 11. Recueillement | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| 12. La mort des amants | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| 13. C'est l'extase | See work details |
4 more instruments
| View sheet music |
| DEUX ROMANCES | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| 19. La'ame evaporee | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| 20. Les cloches | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| 25. L'echelonnement dus haies | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| 26. En sourdine | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| 30. De greve | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| 37b. Recit et Air de Simon (in low voice edition) | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| 42. La Grote | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| 43. Pour ce que Plaisance | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Debussy: Sonata for Violoncello and Piano | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune, Facsimile Of Composer'S Manuscript | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Debussy: Sonata for Violin and Piano | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Premiere Arabesque | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Deuxieme Arabesque | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| L'apres-midi d'un faune (Extrait du Prelude) | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Sonata For Violin And Piano | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Arabesque No. 1 | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| Arabesque No. 2 | See work details | See edition details | View sheet music |
| La Fille aux cheveux de lin |
| See edition details | View sheet music |
Biographical record: Wikidata, matched on name and checked against dates held in the catalogue. The period label is an estimate from birth year. The biography above is our own. Authority record: VIAF 6219636. Portrait: Adam Cuerden, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.