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 B I O G R A P H Y

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 PA 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

RELAXING ~ BEAUTIFUL ~ PEACEFUL

CALMING ~ DREAM ~ COMPLETE

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…

CALMING ~ BREEZY ~ PEACEFULRELAX ~ ENJOY ~ SLEEP SOUNDLY

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!

UNCHANGING ~ SLOW ~ DISSOLVING

GREY ~ SOLEMN ~ L IGHT

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