Claude Debussy

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/claude-debussy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Claude Debussy born?August 22, 1862
2. When did Claude Debussy die?March 25, 1918 (age 55)
3. Where was Claude Debussy born?Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
4. What kind of music did Claude Debussy create?He made music that sounded like colorful paintings, using new sounds and gentle, flowing ideas instead of strict rules.
5. Why did Debussy want to change how music was written?He thought old rules were too strict and wanted music to feel more like nature and art, so he used new harmonies and textures.

Impressionism (Music): A musical style focused on evoking moods and sensory impressions rather than clear narratives or structures.
Harmonic Language: The specific system of chords, progressions, and dissonances used by a composer.
Timbre: The unique quality of a musical sound that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices and instruments.