Noteworthy People: Claude Debussy

by Jess
The year 2018 marks 100 years since the death of one of the most prominent composers of Impressionist music – Claude Debussy.
A French composer, Debussy was in fact the first Impressionist composer, the musical style running alongside the art form Impressionism.
The art form started as the practice of painting out of doors and spontaneously ‘on the spot’, many of the paintings being of landscapes and scenes of the everyday. The paintings captured the “moments” of light and movement due to being painted there and then, rather than in a studio.
Claude Monet was one of the founders of this movement…
Looking at the art style and listening to the music simultaneously gives a much better understanding of the sort of music Debussy was writing.
Impressionist music is centred around creating atmosphere and exploring the emotions and moods created from a subject. Many of Debussy’s most famous works do exactly this, Clair de Lune being a perfect example, something that Becky has been learning herself recently for the BDMA concerts!
Another famous work for Debussy, one that kick started his career, is Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune – an orchestral work with a hauntingly beautiful (and infamous!) flute solo to open. Listen out for the harp in this piece, and the ebb and flow of tempo and dynamics, perfect for the tranquil mood. Personally though, it’s the clarinet solo in the middle of this piece that I love the most, but I am biased (being a clarinet player!)
Here is a version conducted by the infamous Leonard Bernstein…
The classical world has spent 2018 celebrating the life and achievements of Claude Debussy, marking the centenary with concerts and conferences to remember his most loved music.
So we thought we’d do our bit to mark the occasion and share some of his music with you!
Enjoy!