While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Claude Debussy was born on 22 August 1862 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, the eldest of five children. They can challenge your sense of balance since he, at times, has two rhythms going on simultaneously. ... Claude Debussy. It personifies the poem’s ambiguity. Prior to linking Debussy to it, Impressionism was solely associated with the visual arts. Life and Music Claude Debussy was born on the 22nd August 1862 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Instead, they inhabit a colorful, atmospheric dreamscape in which senses blend together in the ultimate synesthesia. The family moved to Paris in 1867, but in 1870 Debussy’s pregnant mother fled with Claude to his paternal aunt’s home in Cannes to escape the Franco-Prussian War. It is based on poems from Poèmes anciens et romanesques (Henri de Régnier, 1890). 1. Debussy’s music was a turning point from the Romantic music that had dominated the 19th century to the music of the 20th century. Instead of painting realistic, lifelike paintings with hard outlines, Impressionists used thousands of dots, or many different shades of color to create … Impressionism can be seen as a reaction against the rhetoric of Romanticism, disrupting the forward motion of standard harmonic progressions. When asked what rule he … Ground-breaking art often creates a stir at first, but Debussy’s "Prelude" was loved right away by musicians and audiences. As a child, Debussy was fascinated by visual art, and as he grew up, he loved the new style called "Impressionism." If you … Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. But Claude wanted to be his own person. Proceeds from every purchase go to support the news and music you love. Debussy didn't like the term impressionism to describe his music. There are no hard edges. Debussy's first significant works appeared in the 1890s. Impressionism, in music, a style initiated by French composer Claude Debussy at the end of the 19th century. The Start of Musical Impressionism Claude Debussy was tired of writing the same type of music in the 1890s. Debussy's piano teacher, who had previously studied with Chopin, would later help him enter the Paris Conservatory. Debussy was a gifted pianist and an intrepid musical explorer. His birth name was Achille-Claude Debussy. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... …composers and especially in the Impressionistic style represented in France by Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Corrections? ^ Debussy was addressed by various permutations of his names during the course of his life. It was also described as impressionistic because it coincided with the new painting styles of artists like Claude Monet. Claude Debussy's taste for the arts, and for painting in particular, is well known. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. His father, Manuel-Achille Debussy, owned a china shop there; his mother, Victorine Manoury Debussy, was a seamstress. Debussy broke the musical mold, so to speak, with his "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun," considered the beginning of modern music. Despite their descriptive, imaginal titles, Claude Debussy\'s three orchestral Nocturnes transcend the concrete and the literal. Debussy and Ravel dominate the impressionist discussion. Nocturnes, L. 91, CD. The stories and music about Impressionism air on CPR Classical (88.1 FM in Denver) at 6 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m.. 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.. His father wanted him to be a concert pianist. Debussy’s rhythms in "Prelude" are surprising. Debussy and Ravel dominate the impressionist discussion. He was born in a suburb of Paris, and it was his aunt who first noticed how musical he was. It takes a good day’s drive to cover Colorado, but we’ll help you do it in a few minutes each morning. Embracing nontraditional scales and tonal structures, Claude Debussy is one of the most highly regarded composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is … Claude Debussy. Those at the Paris premiere in 1894 insisted on hearing it a second time! 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