Debussy deliberately placed the titles of his Préludes at the end of each piece, in parentheses and preceded by an ellipsis, to emphasize the music's pre-eminence over visual programs.
Compositional Technique
Unlike Bach or Chopin, who ordered their preludes tonally, Debussy based his Préludes on 'pole notes' like B flat for Book I and D flat for Book II.
Composer Biography
Claude Debussy, known as 'Claude de France', radically changed how music is heard and conceived, influencing generations of composers and even jazz.
Recording & Production
This album is part of harmonia mundi's celebration of Debussy's legacy, offering diverse interpretations by their artists a century after his death.
Composition History
The Estampes, dedicated to painter Jacques-Émile Blanche, were inspired by Debussy's strong interest in Japanese engravings.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Debussy believed music should not merely reproduce nature but explore the 'mysterious correspondences between Nature and the Imagination'.
