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 33 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| De rêve | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| De grève | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| La flûte de Pan | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Les ingénus | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Rondel: Le temps a laissié | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Crois mon conseil, chère Climène | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Ballade que Villon feit à la requeste de sa mère | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Éventail | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Noël des enfants qui n'ont plus de maisons | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Symphony No. 1 in C Major |
|
| View sheet music |
| Carmen Suite No. 1 | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Carmen Suite No. 2 | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1 | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 26 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Kol Nidrei , Op. 47 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Scottish Fantasy , Op. 46 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Symphony No. 1 in C Minor |
|
| View sheet music |
| Symphony No. 2 in C Minor |
|
| View sheet music |
| Symphony No. 3 in D Minor |
|
| View sheet music |
| Symphony No. 4 in Eb Major "Romantic" |
|
| View sheet music |
| Symphony No. 5 in Bb Major |
|
| View sheet music |
| Symphony No. 6 in A Major |
|
| View sheet music |
| Symphony No. 7 in E Major |
|
| View sheet music |
| Symphony No. 8 in C Minor |
|
| View sheet music |
| Symphony No. 9 in D Minor |
|
| View sheet music |
| Te Deum | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Turandot Suite, Op. 41 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Pavane, Op. 50 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Pelleas and Melisande, Op. 80 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Requiem, Op. 48 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Holberg Suite, Op. 40 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Op. 55 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Symphonic Dances, Op. 64 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart, Op. 132 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Symphony No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 78 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Carnival of the Animals | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Christmas Oratorio | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Danse Macabre, Op. 40 |
|
| View sheet music |
| Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso , Op. 28 |
|
| View sheet music |
| The Girl With The Golden Hair | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Le petit Negre, Cakewalk, Lesure 114 | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Z | See work details |
| View sheet music |
| Fleur des bl | See work 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.