Born:
August 22, 1862
Birthplace:
Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
Died:
March 25, 1918 in Paris due to colon cancer.
Also Known As:
His full name was Achille-Claude Debussy, he was an influential French composer of the 19th century. DeBussy formulated the 21-note scale and he changed how instruments were used for orchestration.
Type of Compositions:
Influence:
DeBussy showed his musical ability on the piano at a young age. He had a wealthy patroness named Nadezhda Filaretovna von Meck. Also, Madame Mauté de Fleurville, a friend of Frederic Chopin, encouraged DeBussy to continue his studies. He entered the Paris Conservatory at age 10 where he studied composition and piano. In 1884, his cantata "L'enfant prodigue" won him the prestigious Prix de Rome. DeBussy was also influenced by the works of Symbolist writers and the music of Richard Wagner.
Notable Works:
Some of his known works are: "Clair de lune," "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" (inspired by the poem of poet Stéphane Mallarmé), "La Mer," "Pelléas et Mélisande" (based on a play by playwright and poet Maurice Maeterlinck), "Nocturnes," "Images," Jeux;" he also wrote a piano suite for his daughter (nicknamed ChouChou) called "Children's Corner."
Interesting Facts:
He divorced his first wife, Lily Texier, and married Emma Bardac with whom he already had a daughter named Claude-Emma. Later in life, he created an alter ego whom he called "Monsieur Croche."
Music Sheet:
Related Video:
Listen to Claude DeBussy's "Claire de Lune" courtesy of YouTube
