Hailey Reisinger

Claude Debussy was a French composer during the late nineteenth century and early

twentieth century. Debussy is considered to be the founder of Music Imperialism. His music

developed by composing different, untraditional arrangements. (2) At the age of eleven,

Debussy was sent to Paris for his piano music. After studying in the Italian capital, Debussy

named himself as the leader of French music in the century. (3)

Claude Debussy was born August 22nd, 1862 in France. He is the oldest of five

children, and grew up in a poor family. By the age of seven, Debussy started to play the

piano. By the age of nine, he knew that he had a unique talent for music. When Debussy was

eleven, he was sent to the Paris Conservatory. At the conservatory, he studied piano and

composition. Many of the teachers and students knew he had a talent for music , but many

thought his interest was weird. Although his family was very poor, he was well known

around Europe. (1) Nadezhda Filaretovna von Meck was a Russian who was well known .

She hired Debussy to teach her children, and play duets with them. After perfecting several

pieces of music, they would travel around Europe together. Debussy become favored by the

Russians, and composers from Russia would influence his pieces . (2)

One of Debussys early stages of music was based around an emotional controversy

of meeting a woman while traveling around Europe. This woman was known as Madame

Vasnier. She and her husband gave Debussy exposure to other French composers . On of

Debussys pieces LEnfant prodigue, won the Prix de Rome in 1884. (2) The Prix de Rome
was a scholarship program awarded to students in Rome by the government . The scholarship

lasted for a few centuries, before getting extinct by the French minister of cultural affairs .

The scholarship that Debussy received was a four year stay at an arts academy in Rome .

During his stay, he wrote four pieces and got acquainted with an opera . The pieces Debussy

composed were Symphonic ode Zuleima, Printemps, Cantata La Damoiselle elue, and

Fantaisie.(1) Symphonic ode Zuleim, is written specifically for chorus and orchestra.

Printemps, has a special part for chorus and piano. Cantata La Damoiselle elue, was

written for chorus and piano. This piece was written during Debussys period of literacy

Symbolists. Fantaisie, was composed for piano and orchestra. (3) (2)

Fantasie, is still one of Debussys most famous pieces. It was composed between the

fall of 1889 and the spring of 1890. (3) The public never heard this piece however , until

after Debussys death. Alfred Cortot was a part of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, who

first introduced the piece. Fantasie, is the only piece by Debussy that was arranged for

piano and orchestra. Its arranged into two movements, and set for fourteen orchestra

instruments. (3)

Another one of Debussys most known composes is Clair de Lune. This piece deals

with being in love and getting over a broken heart . This piece has four different movements

to it. This piece was named after a poem, and was originally titled Promenade

Sentimentale. You can find this piece in several movies that are popular today . Frequently,

this arrangement appears in Twilight. (4)

 After staying in Rome off of the scholarship, Debussy returned back to Paris. He

started having a relationship with Madame Vasnier . Along with that, he was known to have

several other mistresses on the side. During the middle of his life, several of the women he

was with threatened their lives. Debussys first wife, did in fact shoot herself out of suicide.

This made Debussy question what his life was worth. Before that had occurred, one of his

mistresses threatened to commit suicide. (2) While he was dealing with all of this in his

personal life. He started composing more to deal with his emotions. In this time several

Preludes were introduced. (1)

In the last few years of Debussys life, he did not spend as much time composing

music. He spent most of his time critiquing and performing . During World War One,

Debussy was diagnosed with colon cancer. Debussy died in Paris, France in 1918. (3)

Debussy is still known today as an impressionist in the music industry . His works of

art play with emotions and can often change suddenly. The harmonics that are played

throughout his work are often compared to the Romanticism period . (5) The last piece by

Debussy ever written was never finished. It was a violin sonata which was supposed to

consist of six different movements. There was only three completed by the time of Debussys

death at the age of fifty-five. (3)

 Works Cited

1. http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/claude-debussy-400.php
2. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Claude-Debussy
3. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/claude-debussy-mn0000768781/biography
4. http://www.notablebiographies.com/De-Du/Debussy-Claude.html
5. https://www.britannica.com/art/Impressionism-music