A BIOGRAPHY

Of

Claude Debussy’s Life and Music

By Tara Spencer

“Music is God’s best gift to man: the only

art of heaven given to earth, the only art of

earth we take to heaven.”

Walter Savage Lander

Table of contents

Who Was Claude Debussy

Claude Debussy’s Professional Life

A Quick Life Summary

Well known Melodies

My Favorites

Clair de Lune

Arabesque

A BIOGRAPHY

Of Claude Debussy’s life

Nocturne

Closing Remarks

Bibliography

CLAUDE DEBUSSY

Claude Debussy was a man who

created heavenly, beautiful, brilliant

music. Whenever I hear a song that

he wrote, I feel like I am in heaven.

This man was truly gifted, and I

believe he created music that will live

on forever and stand the test of time.

EARLY LIFE

Claude was born August 22 1862 in

St-Germain-en-Laye, France

He was the oldest of 5 children

He came from a very poor family

He was 7 when he had his first

piano lesson

In 1872 Claude attended the Paris

Conservatoire where he stayed for

11 years

The middle years

While attending school, he studied piano, organ,

music composition, music theory and many other

courses

Claude often pushed boundaries as he experimented.

He created music ahead of his time. His music was

very controversial

Claude was the winner of the 1884 Prix de Rome.

For his composition L’enfant Prodigue and was able to

receive a scholarship to the academy des Beaux-Arts

He was able to attend the Villa Medici, the French

Academy in Rome from 1885-1887

He began creating some of his most famous musical

compositions during this time

THE LATER YEARS

In 1902 Claude finished his first and

only opera, Pelleas et Melisande. A very

controversial piece.

His later life was surrounded in scandal.

His later music was very different from

the earlier music he created.

He suffered from cancer for the last 8

years of his life.

He died of rectal cancer in Paris on

March 25 1918.

Claude Debussy:

A

Quick life summary

CLAUDE

DEBUSSY

Born: August 22 1862 in Saint-Germain-en-

Lave, France

Died: March 25, 1918, in Paris-France

Remains: Buried: Cimetiere de Passy, Paris,

France

Occupation: Composer, French Impressionist

composer

Wife: Rosalie Texier (dressmaker, m. 1899,

separated 1904 for Bardac)

Wife: Emma Bardac (m. 1908)

Daughter: Claude-Emma ("Chouchou")

C L A U D E D E B U S S Y ’ S M U S I C I S A P E R F E C T E X A M P L E O F

T H E Q U O T E T H A T I M E N T I O N E D E A R L I E R . I T H I N K I T I S

A R T F R O M H E A V E N . I T W I L L B E A R T T H A T W E W I L L B E

A B L E T O T A K E W I T H U S W H E N W E D E P A R T F R O M T H I S

L I F E , A N D I T R U L Y T H A N K H I M F O R T H A T .

Claude Debussy’s Professional Life

CLAUDE DEBUSSY’S

PROFESSIONAL LIFE

Musician

Award Winning Composer

Concert Pianist

Writer

Conductor

Teacher

Colleague

Duex Arabesques

Riverie

Tarantelle Styrienne

Nocturne’s

Juex (Ballet)

Suite Bergamasque: Prelude, Menuet,

Clair de Lune, Passepied

Children’s Corner: Golliwogg’s

Cakewalk, The Little Shepard, The Snow is

Dancing, Serenade for the Dolls, Jimbo’s

Lullaby, Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum.

WELL KNOWN FOR HIS MUSIC

A list of some of the most popular melodies Claude Debussy composed.

MY FAVORITES CHOSEN FOR

MY LISTENING GUIDE

Clair de Lune

Arabesque

Nocturne

R E L A X I N G ~ B E AU T I F U L ~ P E AC E F U L

C A L M I N G ~ D R E A M ~ C O M P L E T E

Claire de Lune

CLAIR DE LUNE

Written between1890 and 1905

It is the third movement of the Suite bergamasque, and the most

popular of all 4 movements

Clair de Lune means Moonlight in French and was influenced by a

poem written by Paul Verlaine’s also called Clair de Lune

It is one of Claude’s most popular compositions and over the last

20 years has been featured in more than 50 movies and TV shows

You can also enjoy Clair de

Lune in such a beautiful

way, by watching the Clair

de Lune Water show at the

Bellagio, in Las Vegas

Nevada.

It is simply breathtaking…

C A L M I N G ~ B R E E Z Y ~ P E AC E F U L

R E L A X ~ E N J OY ~ S L E E P S O U N D LY

Arabesque

ARABESQUE

This was one of Debussy’s earlier compositions

It was finished in 1888 while he was still in his 20’s

One of the great pieces to show what was to come from this

brilliant composer

Full of scales and runs, mixed with harmonious chords to create a

seamless masterpiece

A favorite of many who enjoy his music

ARABESQUE

I once saw a ballet number that was

choreographed to the song Arabesque and

was blown away by how beautifully they

went together. Then I remembered that

in ballet an arabesque is an actual

movement performed by dancers.

I can see why!

U N C H A N G I N G ~ S L OW ~ D I S S O L V I N G

G R E Y ~ S O L E M N ~ L I G H T

Nocturnes

NOCTURNES

This song was completed between 1897 and 1899

Debussy explains the feeling of this song as “the unchanging

aspect of the sky, and the slow, solemn movement of the clouds

dissolving in gray tints lightly touched with white. The restless

dancing rhythm of the atmosphere interspersed with sudden flashes

of light.”

It is another one of his most famous melodies

NOCTURNES

Claude Debussy’s Nocturnes, was

said to have been influenced by a

series of paintings. The series was

created by a famous artist by the

name of, James McNeill Whistler.

This was one of the painting in the

series.

LISTENING GUIDE

Claire de Lune

Arabesque

&

Nocturnes

CLAIR DE LUNE

Introduction, slow, quiet and harmonious

It is repeated and played andante; it is taking its time

The timbre is harmonious and romantic

1:11 is when the chords start to evolve

Tempo rubato begins, and the chords seem to go fast and slow

This sequence is the heart of a lot of the song

It continues as it switches off with what you hear at the beginning

1:52 Then the main melody begins, which is slow and calm

You hear a very dreamlike sequence of runs and scales

The chords that are played along with that sequence to make a

beautiful blend of symphonic music

2:54 The middle through the end of the song is a sequence full of

seamless changes that take you on a ride

Fast and slow, high and low as it changes from the three main melodies

The three melodies blend together with romantic tones and sounds

5:02 the song ends

As the last note is played, it

seems to ring as the song lingers

The rhythm of the entire song

flows peacefully

What a heavenly song…

ARABESQUE

0:00 The song begins with a scale rising and falling, followed by a low note and

then repeats itself

0:14 Chords are then played to create the layers of a song that sounds like a

peaceful spring rain

This section is played very delicately

It is slightly fast or andantino might be a better description

The timbre of the piano is very soft and pure

0:26 is when one of the main melodies begins

The song begins to climb and get a little louder before the main melody returns

1:30 The middle section of this song is full of different melodies that blend well with

the main melody

1:40-4:00 There isn’t a real clear path for the piece during this section

This section has a lot going on, but somehow it all comes together as one seamless

composition

Lots of crescendo’s, it get’s very powerful and then soft again at a quick pace

4:49 The ending is a nice wrap up of all the different melodies and harmonies heard

throughout the piece

If you close your eyes, you could picture springtime, just after the rain

This piece truly takes you

to another place

When it’s over you feel

moved by the incredible

peace and stillness that

comes from the music

NOCTURNES

The song begins on a very deep pure tone, that has a little bit of darkness to it

A very high fast scale starts that pierces you, then falls back to the deep

0:43 The melody begins, it creates a mood of sadness. The timbre is pure and

soft, very quiet like a reflection

2:00 As the song progresses, it begins to build and pick up pace

2:30-3:00 It brightens and an atmosphere of happiness remains through out the

middle sequence of the song

There are beautiful chords and harmonies that create amazing layers and feelings

As the song winds down, all the feeling from the beginning and the middle

combines

4:00 Again you hear some of the beginning melodies that blend well with what

feels to be the climax of the song and then descend downward

Feelings of sadness return

The timbre is very deep and pure when the lower register is played

You experience the contrast of the low notes with a sudden high scale that is

played light and fast

This part is giving the song more form. It seems to come full circle at this point

5:40 As the end of the song nears a

sudden change in the music occurs

as the varied dynamics start building,

and the whole song comes together

The song ends softly and powerfully

A strong powerful emotional ride,

but beautiful

IN CLOSING

In studying and learning about Claude Debussy’s life, I have come to have a

greater appreciation for his music and the courage he had to push boundaries

and try new things. What an amazing musician…And I would like to

finish with the same quote I began with that I think sums up the divine

music this man created.

“Music is God’s best gift to man: the only art of heaven given to earth, the

only art of earth we take to heaven.”

~Walter Savage Lander~

BIBLIOGRAPHY

www.Biography.com ~ Claude Debussy, biography ~ Synopsis ~ Profile ~ Chosen Music

www.8notes.com ~ Claude Debussy, biography ~ Chosen Music

www.noteablebiographies.com ~ Claude Debussy, biography ~ Chosen Music

50 Greats for piano, by Yamaha ~ General Information ~ Claude Debussy ~ Claire de Lune ~

Arabesque

www.wikipedia.org ~ Claude Debussy, biography ~ Chosen Music, biography

www.youtube.com ~ Chosen Music

www.googleimages.com ~ Photos used throughout Power Point presentation