Claude Debussy Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Song of Pelléas (from the opera Pelléas et Mélisande)Claude Debussy64rank/position

Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande (complete) — Ansermet conducting / Orchestre de la Suisse Romande

The only completed opera Debussy left is Pelléas et Mélisande.

While many operas run as long as four hours, this major work is a fairly compact piece of under two hours.

In this aria of Pelléas, the graceful, supple soprano melody is particularly striking.

Symphonic Poem ‘The Sea’Claude Debussy65rank/position

Debussy – La Mer

Claude Debussy, who spent his childhood in Cannes, France, cherished a lifelong longing for the sea—so much so that he once said, “If I hadn’t become a musician, I would have become a sailor.” It was this Debussy who expressed his impressions of the sea in music with the three-movement symphonic sketch La Mer.

A notable feature is that the score’s cover uses an ukiyo-e print by Katsushika Hokusai.

From the symphonic poem ‘La Mer’: Movement III, ‘Dialogue of the Wind and the Sea’Claude Debussy66rank/position

From the symphonic poem 'La Mer' — Saitama Sakae High School Wind Band

A grand symphonic poem in which Claude Debussy expresses the ocean’s power through music.

Although originally an orchestral work, this version is arranged for wind band.

It consists of three movements, and in the third movement, an intense dialogue between wind and sea is depicted.

The trumpet’s bold fanfare announces the arrival of the storm, while the brass and strings convey the turbulence of wind and waves.

At its 1905 premiere, the work brought Debussy great renown.

It has also been used in visual works themed around nature and the sea, moving many listeners.

Symphonic Poem “La Mer” — From Three Symphonic Sketches, II. “Play of the Waves”Claude Debussy67rank/position

Debussy: La mer, three symphonic sketches — Play of the Waves [Naxos Classical Curations #Fantasy]

An orchestral piece composed by Claude Debussy, it feels like a scene cut from the sea.

The lightly bouncing melodies woven by the strings and woodwinds vividly evoke sunlit, glittering waves and the playful motion of the surf.

Simply listening makes you feel as if a cool sea breeze were brushing your cheeks.

The cover of the first edition featured a ukiyo-e print by Katsushika Hokusai.

While its 1905 premiere received mixed reactions, a 1908 performance conducted by the composer himself earned high acclaim.

The sonorities of this work are said to have influenced later pieces, including the film Jaws.

It is recommended for those seeking a refreshing experience in the hot season or anyone who wants to immerse themselves in a richly colored world of sound.

Préludes, Book I, No. 8: “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair”Claude Debussy68rank/position

Debussy. Preludios. Libro I. Preludio nº 8 La fille aux cheveux de lin

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.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Preludes, Book II, No. 5: The Heath-Covered WastelandClaude Debussy69rank/position

With commentary: Debussy, Préludes Book II — “Heath-covered Moorland” / Debussy Préludes II “Bruyères”

The impressionistic music of the French composer Claude Debussy stimulates a rich sensibility.

This piece, one of his Preludes, expresses a desolate landscape in sound through the interweaving of distinctive chords and harmonies.

Published in 1913, it deftly portrays an uneasy atmosphere in nature.

Because it places emphasis on sensory impressions, each listener will form a different image.

Why not engage your imagination and convey the landscape of the wilderness through your performance?

Preludes, Book II, No. 6: “General Lavine — eccentric”Claude Debussy70rank/position

Debussy – “General Lavine” – eccentric –

Among Claude Debussy’s works, this piece radiates a quirky charm.

Depicting on the piano the comical movements of the American clown Edward LaVine, it is distinguished by its sprightly duple meter.

Beginning with a siren-like sound and built around recurring cakewalk rhythms, the structure makes you feel as though you’re witnessing LaVine’s eccentric performance in person.

While savoring Debussy’s characteristic harmonic shifts, you can immerse yourself in a world brimming with humor.

Published in 1913 as part of the Préludes, Book II, this work employs novel sonic effects and techniques, epitomizing the innovative spirit of Debussy’s music.

It’s a perfect recommendation for those who seek a playful streak in classical music.