Claude Debussy

Claude Debussy was a groundbreaking French composer whose innovative approach to music helped define the sound of 20th century musical modernism. He entered the Paris Conservatory in 1873 to study piano and composition. Despite growing in poverty, his talent eventually earned him the support of a wealthy patron, allowing him to focus on his craft. Debussy is often associated with musical Impressionism, a term he personally disliked. Influenced by non-Western musical sources like Javanese gamelan, he developed a highly individual musical style, moving away from traditional musical form and the dramatic intensity of romanticism. Instead, he focused on instrumental colour and innovative harmonic language through an emphasis on atmosphere and sonority over traditional tonal direction. His diverse output includes orchestral works, piano music, chamber music, songs and opera, with works such as Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, La mer and Pelléas et Mélisande.