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
Teachers: Antoine-François Marmontel; Albert Lavignac
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
Awards: Knight of the Legion of Honour; Prix de Rome
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 3 of 35

Instruments describe listed editions, including arrangements. Composition dates and keys appear where recorded; collection pages show their individual contents.

Works and musical collections with sheet music details
Title	Work details	Listed instruments	Sheet music
Danse de la poupee	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Golliwog's Cake-walk from Children's Corner Suite	See work details	Piano Organ Guitar 10 more instruments Cello Flute Oboe violin Bassoon Horn Clarinet Piccolo English Horn Viola Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Debussy: Children's Corner	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Études, L. 136: VII. Pour les degrés chromatiques	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Études, L. 136: II. Pour les tierces	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Études, L. 136: IV. Pour les sixtes	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Hommage à Joseph Haydn, L. 115	Year composed 1909 (May)	Piano Timpani percussion Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Études, L. 136: III. Pour les quartes	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Images oubliées, L. 87: Lent (mélancolique et doux)	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Sonata for Cello and Piano	Year composed 1915 (July-August)	Harp Flute Viola Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Morceau de Concours	Year composed 1904	Piano harpsichord Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Proses lyriques	Year composed 1892-93 ↗	Piano Voice Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Les sons et les parfums (Piano solo)	See work details	Piano harpsichord Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ballet	See work details	Piano Harp Organ 3 more instruments violin Timpani percussion Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
L'Apres Midi D'un Faune (The Afternoon Of A Faun)	See work details	Piano violin Clarinet Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Et La lune descend sur temple qui fut (And the Moon Sets on the Temple Ruins), L. 111:2	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum from CHILDREN'S CORNER	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Page d'album / Album Leaf	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Pour invoquer Pan, dieu du vent d'ete from Six Epigraphes antiques (Piano solo)	See work details	Piano Flute Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Pour que la nuit soit propice from Six Epigraphes antiques (Piano solo)	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Etude in E Major Op 10 No 3	Catalogue / opus Op 10 No 3 Key in title E major	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
'air' from Orchestral Suite No 3	Year composed 1886-89	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Bohemian Dance	Year composed 1890	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Debussy: Album for Piano Solo	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Préludes, Livre I, L. 117: VII. Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest. Animé et tumultueux	See work details	Piano harpsichord Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Études, L. 136: V. Pour les octaves	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Noël des enfants qui n'ont plus de maisons	Year composed 1915	Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
14. Il pleure dans mon coeur	See work details	Voice Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
III. Yver, vous n'estes qu'un villain (Cold winter, villain that thou art)	See work details	Voice Choir A Cappella Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Pour un tombeau sans nom from Six Epigraphes antiques (Piano solo)	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Pour l'Egyptienne from Six Epigraphes antiques (Piano solo)	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
1. Pour Invoquer Pan	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Arabesques No.2	Year composed 1890-91	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Arietta, Op. 12, No. 1	Catalogue / opus Op. 12, No. 1	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
IV. Ballet	Year composed 1913	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Des pas sur la niege	See work details	Piano harpsichord Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Londonderry Air	See work details	Cello Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ballet from Petite Suite - B-flat Trumpet 2	See work details	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Images, Livre 2, L. 111: No. 1. Cloches à travers les feuilles	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Études, L. 136: VI. Pour les huits doigts	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Cinq Poèmes de Baudelaire, L. 64, CD 70: IV. Recueillement	See work details	Piano Voice Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Cinq Poèmes de Baudelaire, L. 64, CD 70: I. Le balcon	See work details	Piano Voice Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Cinq Poèmes de Baudelaire, L. 64, CD 70: II. Harmonie du soir	See work details	Piano Voice Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Deux Arabesques	Year composed 1890-91 ↗	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
12 Pièces pour Grand Orgue - Transcriptions	See work details	Organ Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Trois Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé	Year composed 1913 ↗	Piano Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Le Promenoir des deux Amants	Year composed 1904 (No.1); 1910 (2-3)	Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
15. L'ombre des arbres	See work details	Voice Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details

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.