Debussy’s masterpiece. Popular classical music.
We introduce the works of Claude Debussy, a composer who represents France.
You can immerse yourself in the world of Impressionist music, which evokes abstract images of landscapes and people, through pieces such as Clair de Lune, Rêverie, and The Girl with the Flaxen Hair.
While he is often associated with piano and orchestral compositions, there are also many vocal works in which Debussy’s youthful talent shines—such as Nuit d’étoiles—composed when he was just 18.
Let yourself be captivated for a while by the beautiful melodies crafted by this great master of modern French music.
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Debussy’s masterpieces. Popular classical music (71–80)
Préludes, Book I, No. 8: “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair”Claude Debussy
This piece is said to be an arrangement based on an unpublished song by Debussy, set to a poem of the same title by Leconte de Lisle.
Debussy composed 24 Preludes for piano, collected in two books of 12 pieces each.
This work is the eighth piece in Book I and is arguably the most well-known and popular of them all.
Since it originated from a poem, it vividly evokes scenes in the listener’s mind.
Incidentally, “flaxen” refers to a shade of blonde hair that is close to white.
Children’s Corner No. 3: Serenade for the DollClaude Debussy
The third piece from the piano suite Children’s Corner, composed by Claude Debussy for his beloved daughter Chouchou.
It is characterized by lively staccato that evokes the image of a Chinese porcelain doll.
The key to this piece lies in the delicate tone colors and light rhythms that give the impression of a doll dancing gracefully.
Incorporating Eastern elements such as pentatonic scales and fourth intervals, it also showcases Debussy’s Impressionistic style throughout, which is quite fascinating.
While preserving the transparency of the sound, try to express both elegance and charm.
Video, Volume 1, Track 1: ‘Reflections in the Water’Claude Debussy
The shimmering glints of light reflected on a beautifully wavering water surface… it’s a gorgeous piece that evokes a painterly image.
Among classical piano works themed around water, Claude Debussy’s Reflections in the Water is renowned alongside Franz Liszt’s The Fountains of the Villa d’Este—which directly influenced it—and Maurice Ravel’s Jeux d’eau.
Released as part of the piano collection Images, Book I, the piece vividly depicts a world focused on the very movement of water, rendered exquisitely through the composer’s delicate sensibility.
Since it’s a work by Debussy, known for his free compositional approach that steps outside classical conventions, even those who find rigid classical music daunting should definitely give it a listen!
Debussy MedleyClaude Debussy
This is a medley of pieces by the French composer Claude Debussy.
His departure from traditional musical conventions led to the label of Impressionist music, and his work has influenced a wide range of music and left many masterpieces.
It’s a medley you should definitely listen to at least once.
“Dreams” Claude DebussyClaude Debussy
This is also one of Debussy’s pastoral pieces.
While it shares with his other works a smooth and rich tonal quality, this piece is more expressive, and the powerful sonorities of the piano keys seem to strike deep within the heart.
Romantic WaltzClaude Debussy
This is a work by the French composer Claude Debussy.
Debussy composed using free harmony that was not bound by functional harmony, and he was one of the most influential composers from the late 19th to the early 20th century.
This piece, “Valse romantique,” was composed in 1890 and is said to show a strong influence from Chopin.
Before entering the Paris Conservatoire, Debussy studied with Madame Mauté de Fleurville, a pupil of Chopin, which may have something to do with this connection.
Two Arabesques No. 2Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy wrote two Arabesques in his lifetime.
Of these, the Arabesque No.
2 is performed less frequently than the first, yet it is a light, beautiful piece that is very popular among piano learners.
The term “arabesque” refers to the Arabic-style ornamental patterns that were fashionable at the time.
The dazzling, triplet-rich melodic lines may be meant to evoke those delicate, Arabic-inspired motifs composed of interlacing curves.
When you play it, try not to focus only on the fine movement of the notes, but also savor the beauty of the shifting harmonies.
