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 5 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
Santa Lucia	See work details	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Träumerei [Op. 9, No. 4] Additional credits Richard Strauss	Catalogue / opus Op. 9, No. 4	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Études, L. 136: XI. Pour les arpèges composés	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Préludes, Livre II, L. 123: VI. Général Lavine - eccentric. Dans le style et le mouvement d'un Cakewalk	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Études, L. 136: VIII. Pour les agréments	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Fêtes galantes (Premier recueil), L. 80, CD 86 : I. En sourdine, mélodie pour voix et piano "Calmes dans le demi-jour"	See work details	Piano Voice Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Pierrot, L. 15, CD 30, mélodie pour voix et piano "Le bon Pierrot que la foule contemple"	Year composed 1882	Piano Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Dans le jardin	Year composed 1903 (May)	Piano Organ Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
L'Enfant Prodigue	Year composed 1884, rev.1907 ↗	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Fantaisie for Piano and Orchestra	Year composed 1889-90 (October to April) ↗	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Marche	See work details	Orchestra Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Scenes for Chorus and Orchestra	Year composed 1887 (February)*, revised 1912	Triangle Cymbals Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Rondeau	Year composed 1881 (Summer)	Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Le triomphe de Bacchus	Year composed 1882	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
BAUDELAIRE	See work details	Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
10. Le jet d'eau	See work details	Piano Organ Voice 1 more instruments Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
32. De soir	See work details	Piano Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
35. Le tombeau des naiades	See work details	Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
38. Les Ingenus	See work details	Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Afternoon of a Faun	See work details	Piano Flute Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
II. Quant jai ouy le Tabourin (Whene'er the tambourine I hear)	See work details	Voice Choir A Cappella Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
C'est l'extase langoureuse	See work details	Voice Low Voice Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Le son du cor	See work details	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Placet futile	See work details	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Mazurka In F-Sharp Minor	Key in title F-Sharp minor	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
La Cathedral engloutie	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Debussy: 'CortEge'	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
About this Edition	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
La chevelure from Chansons de Bilitis	See work details	Piano violin Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Debussy: Morceau de concours	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Debussy: Hommage Haydn	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Gardens In The Rain	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Work & excerpts Printemps 2 excerpt listings	See work details	Check individual editions	View sheet music Contents & editions
Symphony No. 5 in C# Minor	Key in title C-sharp minor	Piano Cello Flute 9 more instruments Oboe violin Bassoon Double Bass Horn Clarinet Trombone Trumpet percussion Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Des Knaben Wunderhorn	See work details	Piano Cello Flute 9 more instruments Oboe violin Bassoon Double Bass Horn Clarinet Trombone Trumpet percussion Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Modere	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Ballad (Piano solo)	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Left-Hand F and G	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
2. Serenade a la Poupee - Serenade of the Doll (arr. Choisnel)	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Page d'album	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
5. Pour l'Egyptienne	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
One Piano, Four-Hands	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Alborada del gracioso	See work details	Piano Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Premiere Rhapsodie	Year composed 1909 ↗	Clarinet Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Chidren's Corner. No. 5: The Little Sheperd	See work details	Piano Bassoon Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
3. La Boite a Joujoux: Danse de la Poupee (arr. Roques)	See work details	violin Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
1. Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum	See work details	Harp percussion Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Angels We Have Heard On High	See work details	Guitar	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.