Claude Debussy
Sound
(Achille) Claude Debussy was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He originally studied the piano, but found his vocation in innovative composition, despite the disapproval of the Conservatoire's conservative professors. He took many years to develop his mature style, and was nearly 40 when he achieved international fame in 1902 with the only opera he completed, Pelléas et Mélisande. Debussy's orchestral works include Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (1894), Nocturnes (1897–1899) and Images (1905–1912). His music was to a considerable extent a reaction against Wagner and the German musical tradition. He regarded the classical symphony as obsolete and sought an alternative in his "symphonic sketches", La mer (1903–1905). His piano works include two books of Préludes and two of Études. Throughout his career he wrote mélodies based on a wide variety of poetry, including his own. He was greatly influenced by the Symbolist poetic movement of the later 19th century. A small number of works, including the early La Damoiselle élue and the late Le Martyre de saint Sébastien have important parts for chorus. In his final years, he focused on chamber music, completing three of six planned sonatas for different combinations of instruments. With early influences including Russian and far-eastern music, Debussy developed his own style of harmony and orchestral colouring, derided – and unsuccessfully resisted – by much of the musical establishment of the day.
Known for
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movieDaniele Gatti & Gautier Capuçon Wagner, Saint-Saëns, and Debussy
2026
Original Music Composer
movieAlice Sara Ott & Francesco Tristano Piano Duo
2025
Original Music Composer
movieElements Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui with Damien Jalet and Marina Abramovic
2025
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movieYuja Wang x David Hockney London Lightroom
2025
Original Music Composer
movieCristian Măcelaru & Julia Fischer - Brahms, Debussy and Barraine
2025
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movieFamous Orchestras - The world's finest orchestras : The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
2025
Original Music Composer
moviePalácio das Memórias
2024
Original Music Composer
movieLiubov Nosova conducts the Paris Mozart Orchestra @ La Maestra 2024
2024
Original Music Composer
movieBar Avni conducts the Paris Mozart Orchestra @ La Maestra 2024
2024
Original Music Composer
movieRiccardo Minasi With Emmanuel Pahud
2024
Original Music Composer
movieKlaus Mäkelä conducts Ravel With Yuja Wang and the Orchestre de Paris
2023
Original Music Composer
movieCompagnie Hervé Koubi @ Sur Mesure
2023
Original Music Composer
movieAftersun
2022
Music
movieOlivier Messiaen: The Turangalîla-Symphonie Orchestre de Paris
2022
Original Music Composer
movieThe Aura
2021
Music
movieRadio France Choir and Orchestra Poulenc, Wagner, Debussy & Fauré
2021
Original Music Composer
movieJohn Eliot Gardiner Conducts Chabrier, Stravinsky and Debussy With Isabelle Faust
2021
Original Music Composer
movieGrand Bal Symphonique With the Orchestre Nationale de France
2021
Original Music Composer
movieMyst
2019
Music
movieParis Opera Ballet: Tribute to Jerome Robbins 2
2018
Original Music Composer
Hudební perličky Pavla Šporcla
2017
Original Music Composer
movieDebussy: Suite Bergamasque
2017
Original Music Composer
tvThis is Opera
2015
Original Music Composer
movieAndrea Bacchetti in Concert
2015
Original Music Composer
movieThe Curve
1999
Music
movieBuccaneer Soul
1993
Original Music Composer
Cage
1993
Music
movieThe Cimmerian Hermit
1992
Original Music Composer
Debussy, Images pour orchestre
1991
Original Music Composer
moviePelléas et Mélisande
1987
Original Music Composer
movieThe Martyrdom of St. Sebastian
1984
Original Music Composer
movieElectronic Moon No. 2
1966
Original Music Composer
movieSyrinx
1965
Music
movieToscanini: The Television Concerts, Vol. 8: Franck, Sibelius, Debussy and Rossini
1952
Original Music Composer
movieRomance sin palabras
1948
Original Music Composer
movieClair de Lune
1942
Original Music Composer
movieLimite
1931
Music
Writing3
Crew1
movieNightcap
2000
Additional Music