Debussy was fascinated by the concept of the "musical arabesque," praising Bach for making this ornamental principle "more supple, more fluid."
Cultural Impact
Despite Debussy's lack of enthusiasm for his own piece, Rêverie became widely known and popular in the USA, leading to a No. 1 hit swing adaptation in 1938.
Composer Biography
As a young man, Debussy spent three months as a music tutor for Nadezhda von Meck, a wealthy Russian widow and patron of Tchaikovsky.
Cultural Impact
Debussy's Deux Arabesques were so popular that over 220,000 copies were printed during his lifetime.
Composer Biography
Claude Debussy's piano teacher, Antoine Marmontel, noted in 1879 that Debussy "doesn't love the piano" but "does love music."
Composer's Artistic Vision
Debussy remembered Franz Liszt's "art of turning the pedal into a kind of breathing" after hearing him play in Rome in 1886.
Composer Biography
Tchaikovsky, after reviewing a piece by the young Debussy, commented, "It's an attractive little piece but really too short; nothing is developed and the form is bungled."
