Photo: Adam Cuerden / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Claude Debussy still sounds, to my ear, like the most modern composer of his era, which is a strange thing to say about a man born in 1862. Raised in Saint-Germain-en-Laye and crowned with the Prix de Rome, he then spent his life dissolving the rules he'd mastered, famously bristling at the Impressionist label others pinned on him. That contrarian streak only makes me like him more. The deliberate blurring of harmony in Clair de lune or the Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune was quietly revolutionary. He didn't paint pictures so much as paint the air between them, and I never tire of getting lost in it.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Claude Debussy
- Name (Japanese)
- クロード・ドビュッシー
- Reading
- くろーど・どびゅっしー
- Born
- August 22, 1862 – March 25, 1918
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Dog
- Origin
- Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Yvelines, France
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / pianist / music critic
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1903 Knight of the Legion of Honour
- 1884 Prix de Rome
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Pelléas et Mélisande | — | |
| Notable work | Préludes | — | |
| Notable work | Children's Corner | — | |
| Notable work | La Damoiselle élue | — | |
| Notable work | Suite bergamasque | — | |
| Notable work | Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Claude Debussy born?
August 22, 1862 – March 25, 1918.
Where is Claude Debussy from?
Claude Debussy is from Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Yvelines, France.
What does Claude Debussy do?
Claude Debussy works as composer, pianist, music critic.
What is Claude Debussy known for?
Notable works include Pelléas et Mélisande, Préludes, Children's Corner.
Composer — see all → · Pianist — see all → · More people from France →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.