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 most important thing in music is to feel.
I want to create music that is free and spontaneous.
Music is a reflection of the soul.
The beauty of music lies in its ability to evoke emotions.
I am a seeker of new sounds.
Music is a journey of discovery.
The artist must be true to himself.
I want to make music that is both simple and profound.
The essence of music is its mystery.
I am a painter of sounds.
Music is a universal language.
I am more and more convinced that music is not, in essence, a thing that can be cast into a traditional and fixed form. It is made of colors and rhythms. It is a fluid art, which must be free to move and flow.
The musician has to be a poet, a painter, a dreamer, a philosopher, a man of the world, a man of nature, a man of everything.
I love music passionately. And because I love it, I try to free it from barren traditions that stifle it.
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.
I am trying to do 'something different' - an 'effect of reality' if you like.
I have made a discovery: I hate music.
I am more and more convinced that music is not, in essence, a thing that can be cast into a traditional and fixed form. It is made up of colors and rhythms.
The sound of the sea, the curve of the horizon, the wind in the leaves, the cry of a bird, these awaken in us multiple associations. And suddenly, without any apparent reason, a memory emerges, a feeling, a thought.
Music should humbly seek to please; it is a noble art, not a science.
Contemporaries of Claude Debussy
Other Musics born within 50 years of Claude Debussy (1862–1918).