Achille-Claude
Debussy (22 August 1862
– 25 March 1918) was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of
the most prominent figures associated with Impressionist music, though he
himself disliked the term when applied to his compositions. In France, he was
made Chevalier of the Legion of Honour in 1903. Debussy was among the most
influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and his use of
non-traditional scales and chromaticism influenced many composers who followed.
Debussy's music is noted for its sensory
content and frequent usage of atonality. The French literary style of his
period was known as Symbolism, and this movement directly inspired Debussy both
as a composer and as an active cultural participant.
The Suite bergamasque is one of the most famous piano
suites by Claude Debussy. Debussy commenced the suite in 1890 at age 28, but he
did not finish or publish it until 1905.
The Suite bergamasque was first composed by
Debussy around 1890, but was significantly revised just before its publication
in 1905. It seems that by the time a publisher came to Debussy in order to cash
in on his fame and have these pieces published, Debussy loathed the earlier
piano style in which these pieces were written. While it is not known how much
of the Suite was written in 1890 and how much was written in 1905, it is clear
that Debussy changed the names of at least two of the pieces.
"Passepied" was called "Pavane", and "Clair de
lune" was originally titled "Promenade Sentimentale." These
names also come from Paul Verlaine's poems.
This Suite consists of four movements:
1. Prélude;
2. Menuet;
3. Clair de Lune;
4. Passepied.
This Suite consists of four movements:
1. Prélude;
2. Menuet;
3. Clair de Lune;
4. Passepied.