Debussy - Piano MusicAlthough he himself wished to reserve the
term for the visual arts, Claude Debussy (1862-1918) has often
been considered the founder of musical Impressionism. Indeed he
added a quite new range of timbre and colour to western
classical music. When graduating from the Paris Conservatory he
won the prestigious Prix de Rome, which financed two years of
further study in the Italian capital, where he had the
opportunity to meet Franz Liszt. He also made two trips to
Wagner’s Bayreuth. Back in Paris he became a frequent
participant at Stéphane Mallarmé’s symbolist gatherings and
formed friendships with many leading Parisian writers, musicians
and artists. At the Universal Exposition of 1889 he became
fascinated by the music of eastern cultures, especially the
Javanese gamelan, a discovery that made him want to get away
from Wagner’s influence. The year 1894 saw the sensational
premiere of his Prélude à l´après-midi d´un faune, immediately
launching Debussy into the spotlight as one of the leadin