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 (91–100)
moonlightClaude Debussy
There’s probably no other piece that soothes a woman’s heart like this one.
Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune is, I think, the perfect piece to listen to while gazing up at the moonlit night.
It’s a very popular piece that’s sometimes used in commercials, so many people have probably heard it.
Prints No. 1 ‘Tower’Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy, a French composer active from the 19th to the 20th century, is known as a leading figure of Impressionist music.
His works employ innovative compositional techniques that go beyond traditional harmony, profoundly influencing later composers.
The first piece of the suite “Estampes,” titled “Pagodes,” published in 1903, was composed after Debussy was inspired by Eastern cultures, particularly Javanese gamelan music.
Its distinctive harmonies and melodies using the pentatonic scale are striking, attempting a new musical expression that fuses Eastern and Western music.
Samson François’s performance superbly captures its dreamlike world, and listeners will be intoxicated by its exotic sonorities.
Debussy’s masterpieces. Popular classical music (101–110)
Prints, No. 3: ‘Gardens in the Rain’Claude Debussy
The work Claude Debussy completed in 1903 is a beautiful piano piece that depicts rain falling in a French garden.
At its Paris premiere in January 1904, it was performed by pianist Ricardo Viñes and was so well received that it was called for an encore.
Skillfully employing chromatic and whole-tone scales, it evokes the sounds of raindrops, wind, and even thunder.
Quoting a French children’s song, it portrays the scene from a fierce downpour to a break in the clouds through delicate shifts in tone color.
It is a piece that fully immerses you in Debussy’s world, and is highly recommended for those interested in Impressionist music.
Sacred and Secular DancesClaude Debussy
Among Claude Debussy’s works, Danses sacrée et profane is one in which Impressionist elements are particularly prominent.
Composed to explore new possibilities for the harp, the piece is said to represent Debussy’s attempt to break away from conventional musical frameworks through a quest for freer forms and harmonies.
Consisting of two contrasting sections—the solemn “Sacred Dance” and the buoyant “Profane Dance”—this work fully showcases Debussy’s gift for expressing silence, nature, and abstract images through sound.
Images for Orchestra: IberiaClaude Debussy
Claude Debussy, the composer who led the French music scene from the late 19th to the early 20th century, is known for his innovative compositional techniques that transcended traditional harmony and modes, pioneering the current of Impressionist music.
One of his best-known works, Images for Orchestra: “Ibéria,” is a musical depiction of an imagined Spain, captivating listeners with its richly colored orchestration and delicate harmonic nuance.
Though Debussy had little firsthand experience visiting Spain, this masterpiece is recommended for those who wish to savor his passionate and mysterious vision of the Iberian Peninsula and for anyone seeking to encounter the essence of Impressionist music.
Children’s Corner Suite, No. 4: The Snow Is DancingClaude Debussy
The piano suite Children’s Corner by the French composer Claude Debussy was composed with the aim of letting adults immerse themselves in a childlike mood.
The fourth piece, “The Snow Is Dancing,” is said to depict snow sprites drifting down and covering the ground with white velvet.
The calm tone may perhaps express children gazing on in wonder, thinking, “What are the fairies doing?” Why not listen to it on a quiet night as the snow falls steadily, absentmindedly gazing out the window?
Children’s Corner Suite, No. 5: The Little ShepherdClaude Debussy
Claude Debussy’s suite Children’s Corner was originally written for piano, but the fifth piece, The Little Shepherd, is also frequently performed on the flute.
For those familiar with the flute, it may feel like a particularly familiar work.
Its melody, guided by a gentle dotted rhythm, invites the listener to imagine a distant, pastoral scene.
I encourage you to compare performances of both the piano and flute versions.
You’ll surely find new nuances to add to each interpretation.