There is no theory. You have only to listen. Pleasure is the law.
Claude Debussy

Debussy's Life

Youth and Training

Achille-Claude Debussy was born on 22 August 1862, in St. Germain-en-Laye near Paris. His father was a shopkeeper, and he received the beginning of his education at home with his mother. He started learning piano at age seven with Cerruti, and went to the Paris Conservatoire to continue his training when he was 11.

It became clear that Debussy wasn't going to be a piano virtuoso while at the Conservatoire, and his composition and improvisations didn't obey the rules of harmony and style laid down by his professors - they considered his style dangerous.

Despite this, Debussy won the prestigious Prix De Rome with the cantata L'enfant prodigue in 1884 after having been runner-up the previous year. This entitled him to study in Rome at the Villa de Medici, and then have a concert performed of exclusively his own work at the end of his time there. Debussy studied between 1885 and 1887. He hated Rome, and for his concert insisted they perform a work called Printemps, which those responsible for the prize didn't like. Debussy wouldn't be shifted, however, so the concert did not go ahead.

From 1880 to 1882, Debussy was employed by Nadezhda Filaretovna von Meck¹, a wealthy widow, to teach her children piano and to accompany their singing. He travelled to Switzerland, Russia and Italy with her family. In the summers of 1888 and 1889 Debussy visited Bayruth to meet Wagner and to hear his works.

Personal Life and Suicide Attempts

Debussy had a turbulent personal life. He married his first wife, Rosalie Texier, known as Lily, in 1899. He left her in 1904 for Emma Bardac, who was already married, and devorced her husband for Debussy. Debussy married Bardac in 1908, and they had a daughter Claude-Emma. Debussy also had a mistress, Gabrielle.

Neither Rosalie nor Gabrielle were happy when their relationships with Debussy split. In fact, they were both so upset that they both shot themselves (on separate occasions). Happily, neither woman managed to kill herself.

Debussy was devoted to his daughter, Claude-Emma, whom he nicknamed Chouchou. He wrote his Children's Corner suite and The Toy Box for her.

Fame

Debussy's Death

Debussy started suffering from cancer in 1910.

Debussy's Music

Influences

Debussy was influenced by the art and literature of his day as well as by other composers. Some of the major influences on Debussy's work are as follows:

• Wagner and Late Romantic Music On Debussy's visits to Bayruth in 1888 and 1890, he was impressed with Wagner's style, especially his use of chromaticicism. (scales)

• Impressionist Painting The impressionist painters, including Degas, Monet, and Renoir, rebelled against the formalist painting style of their day. They captured the light and colour of a scene on to the canvas, but didn't record every miniscule detail of their subjects. Their painting was described as 'impressionist' by a critic.

• Symbolist Poetry

Style

Major Works