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 31 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
No. 06: General Lavine-eccentric	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
No. 3: Jardins Sous la Pluie piano	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
No. 06: Des pas sur la neige	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
No. 03: Pour les Quartes	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Puerta Del Vino - from Preludes, Book II, La	See work details	Piano violin	View sheet music Work & edition details
Reverie & La fille aux cheveux de lin	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Préludes, Livre II, L. 123: VII. La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune. Lent	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Children's Corner, L. 113: I. Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Marche écossaise sur un thème populaire, L. 77, CD 83b (Marche des anciens comtes de Ross, dédiée à leur descendant le Général Meredith Reid, grand-croix de l'ordre royal du Rédempteur)	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Beau Soir, L. 6, CD 84	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ariettes oubliées, L. 60, CD 63a : V. Aquarelles, 1. Green, mélodie pour voix et piano "Voici des fruits, des fleurs, des feuilles"	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Marche écossaise sur un thème populaire, L. 77, CD 83a (Marche des anciens comtes de Ross, dédiée à leur descendant le Général Meredith Reid, grand-croix de l'ordre royal du Rédempteur)	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ariettes oubliées, L. 60, CD 63a : I. Le vent dans la plaine suspend son haleine, mélodie pour voix et piano "C'est l'extase langoureuse"	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ariettes oubliées, L. 60, CD 63a : VI. Aquarelles, 2. Spleen, mélodie pour voix et piano "Les roses étaient toutes rouges"	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ariettes oubliées, L. 60, CD 63a : II. Il pleut doucement sur la ville, mélodie pour voix et piano "Il pleure dans mon cœur comme il pleure sur la ville"	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ariettes oubliées, L. 60, CD 63a : III. Le rossignol qui, du haut d’une branche, mélodie pour voix et piano "L’ombre des arbres dans la rivière embrumée"	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Suite bergamasque, L. 75, CD 82 : III. Clair de lune, pour violon et piano	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Romance, L. 79, CD 65, mélodie pour voix et piano "L’âme évaporée et souffrante"	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Aimons-nous et dormons, L. 16, CD 7, mélodie pour voix et piano "Aimons-nous et dormons, sans songer au reste du monde"	See work details	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Coquetterie posthume, L. 39, CD 50, mélodie pour voix et piano "Quand je mourrai, que l’on me mette"	See work details	Piano Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Regret, L. 55, CD 59, mélodie pour voix et piano "Devant le ciel d’été, tiède et calme"	See work details	Piano Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Le Petit Nègre	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
Rêverie	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
Danse bohémienne	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Children's Corner°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Deux arabesques°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
...d'un cahier d'esquisse	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Estampes°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Études, Livre I°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Études, Livre II°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Images, Series I°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Images, Series II°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Petite Suite°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Pour le piano°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Préludes, Livre I°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Préludes, Livre II°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
°Suite bergamasque°	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fût from IMAGES	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
Des pas sur la neige from PRÉLUDES, BOOK 1	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
La fille aux cheveux de lin from PRÉLUDES, BOOK 1	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
La Cathédrale engloutie from PRÉLUDES, BOOK 1	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
Minstrels from PRÉLUDES, BOOK 1	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
La Puerta del vino from PRÉLUDES, BOOK 2	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
Debussy: 'CortËge'	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ariettes Oubliees - I. C'est l'extase langoureuse	See work details	Voice	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ariettes Oubliees - II. Il pleure dans mon coeur	See work details	Voice	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ariettes Oubliees - III. L'ombre des arbres	See work details	Voice	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ariettes Oubliees - IV. Chevaux de bois	See work details	Voice	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.