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 4 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
23. La mer est plus belle	See work details	Piano Organ Voice 1 more instruments Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
FETES GALANTES (I)	See work details	Piano Organ Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Minuet (Piano solo)	See work details	Piano harpsichord Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Arabesque	See work details	Piano Cello Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Debussy: Mazurka	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Debussy: Pour que la nuit soit propice	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Debussy: Pour invoquer Pan, dieu du vent d't	See work details	Piano Flute Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Gigues	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Three Pieces	See work details	Harp Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
I. Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Menie	See work details	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
The Fountain	See work details	Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Emmanuel Chabrier. Paraphrase Sur un Air de Gounod Additional credits Maurice Ravel	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Sonata in D Minor	Key in title D minor	Cello Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Golliwogg's Cakewalk - Score and Parts	See work details	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Études, L. 136: IX. Pour les notes répétées	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
La Belle au bois dormant, L. 74, CD 81, mélodie "Des trous à son pourpoint vermeil"	Year composed 1890	Piano Organ Voice 1 more instruments Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Cinq Poèmes de Baudelaire, L. 64, CD 70: V. La mort des amants	See work details	Piano Voice Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
La Damoiselle élue, L. 62, CD 69, poème lyrique pour voix de femmes, solo, chœur et orchestre	Year composed 1887-88, reorchestrated 1902	violin Orchestra Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
La Boîte à Joujoux	Year composed 1913	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Etudes	Year composed 1915 (July 23 to September 29)	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Work & excerpts Fêtes galantes 4 excerpt listings	See work details	Check individual editions	View sheet music Contents & editions
Rapsodie for Orchestra and Saxophone	Year composed 1901-11	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Violin Sonata	Year composed 1917 ↗	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
34. La chevelure	See work details	Harp Voice Clarinet 3 more instruments Timpani Piccolo percussion Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
36. Recit et Air de Lia	See work details	Piano Organ Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Recit et Air de Lia from L'enfant prodigue	See work details	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Piano Trio (first edition), G major (Piano trios)	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Debussy: Hommage Rameau	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Mazurka (in F Sharp Minor) (C Debussy)	Key in title F-Sharp minor	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Symphony No. 1 in D Major	Key in title D major	Piano Cello Flute 9 more instruments Oboe violin Bassoon Double Bass Horn Clarinet Trombone Trumpet percussion Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Pour remercier la pluie au matin from Six Epigraphes antiques (Piano solo)	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Deux Arabesques No.2	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
2. Pour un Tombeau sans Nom	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
3. Pour que la Nuit soit Propice	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
5. Pour l	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Solo Piano	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Douze etudes	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Two Arabesques	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Iberia	See work details	Piano Cello violin Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ma mere l'oye (Mother Goose Suite)	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
1. De l'Aube a Midi sur la Mer	See work details	Harp Timpani percussion Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
VI. Golliwogg's cake walk	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
The Little Nigar	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Je regardais dans le jardin	See work details	Piano Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?	See work details	Guitar Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Mandolin	See work details	Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
May Night [Op. 27, No. 4] Additional credits Selim Palmgren	Catalogue / opus Op. 27, No. 4	Piano 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.