Claude Debussy
Founder of musical Impressionism
Most quoted
"I am trying to achieve something new – realities, as it were, what imbeciles call 'impressionism,' a term which is as ill-applied as possible, particularly by art critics who do not hesitate to apply it to Turner, the finest creator of mysterious effects in the whole world of art."
— from Letter to Jacques Durand, 1908
"The sound of the sea, the curve of the horizon, the wind in the leaves, the cry of a bird, these stir within us a multitude of impressions. And suddenly, without any previous agreement, one of these memories rises to the surface and expresses itself in the language of music."
— from Various interviews and letters
"The sound of the sea, the curve of a horizon, wind in leaves, the cry of a bird leave manifold impressions in us. And suddenly, without our wishing it at all, one of these memories spills from us and finds expression in musical language."
— from 'Monsieur Croche the Dilettante Hater', 1913
All quotes by Claude Debussy (297)
The artist must be a dreamer, but a dreamer who knows how to build.
I believe in the mysterious power of music.
The most beautiful music is that which is not heard.
The artist is a child who never grows up.
I am trying to create a music that is free, fluid, and without constraint.
The true beauty of music lies in its ability to evoke emotions.
The artist is a rebel who challenges the established order.
I am trying to make music that is like a breath of fresh air.
The greatest masterpiece is the one that is yet to be created.
Music is a universal language that transcends all barriers.
The artist is a visionary who sees beyond the visible.
I am trying to create a music that is both ancient and modern.
The music of the future will be found in the silence between the notes.
Music is the sum of the scattered forces. You cannot learn it, you must feel it.
The century of the automobile and the airplane has need of a music of its own.
The French genius is not to be found in the imitation of others, but in the expression of itself.
The art of music is perhaps the one that is closest to nature.
We should be grateful to the Germans for having given us the courage to be ourselves.
The sound of the sea, the curve of the horizon, the wind in the leaves, the cry of a bird... these are the things that inspire me.
The musician has to be a poet, a painter, a philosopher.
Contemporaries of Claude Debussy
Other Musics born within 50 years of Claude Debussy (1862–1918).