Debussy: A Painter in Sound

by Stephen Walsh

A beautifully written and original biography of one of the greatest and most popular of modern composers--which also deeply investigates his much-loved music.

Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was that rare creature, a composer who reinvented the language of music without alienating the majority of music lovers. The creator of such classics as La Mer and Clair de Lune, of Pelleas et Melisande and his magnificent, delicate piano works, he is the modernist everybody loves, the man who drove French music into entirely new regions of beauty and excitement at a time when old traditions--and the overbearing influence of Wagner--threatened to stifle it. As a central figure at the birth of modernism, Debussy's influence on French culture was profound. Yet at the same time his own life was complicated and often troubled by struggles over money, women, and ill-health. Walsh's engagingly original approach is to enrich a lively account of this life with brilliant analyses of Debussy's music: from his first daring breaks with the rules as a Conservatoire student to his mature achievements as the greatest French composer of his time. The Washington Post called Stephen Walsh's Stravinsky "one of the best books ever written about a composer." Debussy is a worthy successor.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Art, Biography Memoir, France

336 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2018

About the author

Professor Walsh was educated at Kingston Grammar School, St Paul’s School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. From 1963, he worked as a music journalist in London, at first freelance, writing for The Times, Daily Telegraph, and Financial Times, then from 1966 as deputy music critic of The Observer. He has broadcast regularly on musical topics for the BBC; a major feature of BBC Radio 3 programming in 1995 was his six two-hour broadcasts 'Conversations with Craft', in which he talked to Stravinsky's close associate, Robert Craft. Professor Walsh joined Cardiff University as a Senior Lecturer in Music in 1976, and now holds a personal chair in the School. He still contributes music criticism to The Independent and has since published a series of books and long papers on Bartok, Stravinsky, Kurtág and Panufnik, among others. The first volume of his major biography of Stravinsky — Stravinsky: A Creative Spring (Knopf, 1999) — won the Royal Philharmonic Society Prize for the best music book published in the UK in the year 2000. Volume Two — Stravinsky: The Second Exile (also Knopf) — was published in 2006.

Reviews

[Spencer Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

One moment where I wish Goodreads had half stars. This is definitely a 3 1/2. I decided to give it 4 because it does exactly what it sets out to do. While I wouldn't describe it as overly technical, a person with zero music theory knowledge would be completely lost. The author's main concern is with describing what Debussy does in his music. He does this well. The author admits that all of his biographical facts were culled from other sources. Therefore, what we have is a nice critical look at his works, interspersed with the basic narrative of his life. It could have been improved with a complete list of works in the back and some suggested recordings. Overall, worth reading for people with a fairly good understanding of musical terms and a love of the man's art.

[Silvia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing.
I had expected more of it, to learn something new, highly intrigued by its title. But the book is less poetically or innovative, it's more like a well-documented chronology of Debussy's work in the opinion of the author, minimalisticly placed in the context of his life.
It took me long to finish, because the style is very dry and technical. Long sentences and no structure as in subchapters, overviews or side explanations etc make it very hard to take as an informative source, and too boring to read as biography roman. Literary it does not give any interesting read.
However, if you need an introduction of the musical life of Debussy, this book is a good start.

[Cupcake Book Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very different kind of biography, which blends story with music theory and composition.
The author is quite enamored, and rightly so, of the subject, Claude Debussy, a child prodigy and great composer whose works have withstood over a century. But often the story and details of his life are forgone for many pages as the intricacies of Debussy’s “innovative harmony,” stylization, and analyses of his songs are explained, especially in comparison to other, less popularly-known musicians and influences (with the except of the great Tchaikovsky). To anyone who has studied music theory or composition, this is probably quite riveting and they would be able to appreciate it the best. For the layman, however, these stretches can be a bit of a long tangent of jargon and therefore a bit difficult to follow, though explanations are offered at times, which help the common reader return to understanding.

The excessive use of French expressions could also be daunting for an English-speaking audience, for though it is the native language of the composer, many of the expressions are not commonly known and could be ignored as argot.

This book would be a good purchase for musical theorists, composers, or students of music who are already interested in the composer Claude Debussy. Fans of the composer without a music language background might find it a bit too much music theory digression and not enough story development or telling about the actual person. This is a biography perfect for musicians, music teachers, or fans of music composition who have studied its elaborate intricacies.

I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are solely my own.

[Peter Crofts · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I move into middle age I find myself listening more and more to Debussy. It's primarily his solo piano music which I listen to in the evenings these days, particularly the Etudes, which I find sound fresh no matter how often I hear them. They seem to be of pure inspiration. That, of course, is not the case, but how a feeling of such "freedom" can be achieved through the slow, painstaking process of building the illusion is one of the things that draw me to him. There is also the sense of suspension, as the music moves as much up and down as anywhere else, with the organization of sound being somewhat the equivalent of associate thinking, but in musical terms. If there is liberation in this music, it is deeply private.

Walsh's biography is reasonably accessible, though you will find yourself at a lose at times if you do not understand some of the basics of music theory. But I find myself wondering if the real reason I'm posting this review is more than anything to call attention to its subject matter. I doubt he needs it. Anyhow, do yourself a favor, if you're partial to western "classical" (how I loathe that term) music, get yourself a copy of the Etudes. You'll float away.....

[alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

So passionately written! I can’t make any comments on his technical analysis of Debussy’s pieces, but it was a wonderful chronological walkthrough of the composer’s life without too much emphasis on the gossip and small details. Reading something like this would have taken me double the time if not for how entertaining I found the writing style to be. I mean, a book that casually uses the phrase “Wagnerolatry” is bound to be a very fun one indeed.

I’m just so upset at how awful of a person Debussy was though 😿 Poor Emma! Poor Lilly! Poor Chouchou!

[Matt Lanka · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic biography of Debussy, both in terms of his personal history and musical analysis of all his major works.

[A. Sebastián · Rating 3 out of 5]

Para cuándo la biopic protagonizada por Leo DiCaprio?

[Brooke Cohen · Rating 2 out of 5]

So much to learn about my favorite composer. A little hard to follow just because of all the like music jargon I don’t understand

[Booksandfus · Rating 4 out of 5]

DEBUSSY
Un pintor de sonidos
Stephen Walsh
426 páginas
Editorial Acantilado.

❄ Biografía a modo de ensayo y análisis musical de la obra del considerado el primer compositor impresionista.
El escritor bebe de otras fuentes anteriores para documentarse respecto a los datos biográficos y hace un exhaustivo estudio musical de su obra.

❄ La parte que más me ha impactado es la primera época, ya que narra cómo el compositor perteneciente a una familia humilde, comienza a dar clases de piano a modo particular y enseguida a destacar por su inteligencia y virtuosismo.
Ingresa en el Conservatorio de París a la edad de diez años , tocaba el piano de manera sorprendente sin tener formación académica ninguna, pero pronto se pone al día y se revela contra el encorsetamiento y pedagogía clásica característico del Conservatorio ,con lo cual se gana la desaprobación de sus maestros de composición por no seguir las reglas ortodoxas que imperaban entonces, aunque más tarde cuando alcanza el éxito como compositor esa rebeldía se convierte en "cierta tolerancia"

❄ Tuvo una vida privada no exenta de turbulencias , pero a nivel profesional ya había alcanzado el éxito como compositor al cumplir los 50.
En el libro se analiza las diferentes etapas a nivel de composición y la influencia en ellas de otros autores reconocidos.
Algunas voces no se muestran de acuerdo en que fuera un autor impresionista sino que seguía fórmulas matemáticas concretas.

❄ Apunte personal: Para mí poder tocar la Arabesca número 1 de Debussy supuso un reto personal, ya que después de haber abandonado mis estudios de piano por la vía oficial, los retomé al cabo de los años y me propuse tocar esta pieza que era de nivel superior al que yo tenía. Me costó nueve meses conseguirlo, pero lo logré y por eso siempre asociaré a este compositor con esta parte de mí de esfuerzo y superación personal.

❄ Agradezco profundamente a @acantiladoeditorial el envío del ejemplar ya que ha supuesto para mí un maravilloso regalo, al que acudiré de vez en cuando.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a highly readable, engaging biography with the potential to appeal to both music specialists and non-specialists alike. Walsh has clearly made a deliberate attempt to make the book accessible to those without musical training, but it is by no means a superficial account and there is much here which would be of interest even to those who are well-acquainted with Debussy's music. The works themselves receive in-depth discussion and are placed within the context of Debussy's personal life, and at no point does the prose become too dry.

What may slightly rankle the more musicologically-minded is that some passages appear rather loose in their approach, judging by academic standards. It is evident that Walsh has done his research and there are many fascinating insights, but there are also moments that are suggestive of some historical guesswork, and it is not always clear where the fact ends and the speculation begins. This includes details such as when Debussy was and wasn't working on particular pieces, or whether he did or didn't attend specific performances. The most extreme example of this is surely the bizarre suggestion that it is possible to tell from the sonority and dedications of Debussy's early songs when, and how often, he slept with the soprano Marie Vasnier (p. 28). There are some other minor irritations, such as referring to Debussy as Achille for the first part of the book because this was the name he went by until 1890. None of this detracts from what is an enjoyable and interesting read, but it may be worth taking some of Walsh's claims with a small pinch of salt.

[Julie Kuvakos · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very concise book about the music of Claude Debussy. This is certainly not a book that someone without a good amount of music theory under their belt could undertake and even myself as a trained musician had to stop sometimes and reread.

Going into the book I did not have much of an appreciation for the man nor did I care deeply for his music. This book certainly forces you to listen to his music a lot. Which I did (begrudgingly to some extent but hopeful to discover his sound more). In fact if you’re not listening to the pieces the author describes as you go along with the reading I don’t think it would be much help at all.

At the very least this book helped to respect his music more... though still not my personal cup of tea. I do admire his cleverness and ambition to create something different. He was indeed a genius in his own right. Perhaps one day I too will grow and mature to love his music.

I do wish it would have gone more into the man of Debussy and his personal life. But I understand that was not the intent of the authors take in writing the biography.

All in all a good read. Wish I could give 5 stars but only giving 4 solely for the fact that I wish we knew more of the human side into his life.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best advice I can give is to read it while listening to the music described. While this book is described as non-academic it is best read with a modicum of musical theory under your belt.

I really should have known the Prelude to Act I of Tristan & Isolde - which was said to be the inspiration for some of Debussy’s songs (Golliwogs Cakewalk) and before that “L’Ombre DES arbes”. Look up the French as needed or if you remember your high school French you are set. Well, I did have to listen to the first few notes of the prelude to remember it. And it is possible a good number of you may also.

But armed with Spotify you can listen to much of the music and see some performances on YouTube. There are free music scores at free-scores dot com. Those may be of interest to some who would like to follow along.

I found this biography to be thorough, detailed, educational and inspirational. It is not easy or simplistic except perhaps to one who had majored in music and had advanced degrees or experience. I learned much and have more to listen to.

[Cobertizo · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Estaba destinado a ser marinero, y sólo los azares de la existencia me apartaron de ese camino. ¡Me dirás que el océano no baña exactamente las laderas de Borgoña! ¡Y que todo esto bien podría parecerse a un paisaje pintado en un estudio! Pero tengo innumerables recuerdos y eso es mejor, mucho mejor, a mi juicio, que una realidad cuyo encanto siempre suele tener demasiado peso en el pensamiento (...) Adoro el mar; lo he escuchado con el apasionado respeto que se le debe. Lo que él me ha dictado tal vez no lo haya transcrito correctamente, pero eso no es problema de usted ni mío, pues no todos los oídos oyen del mismo modo. Usted aprecia y defiende tradiciones que ya no existen para mí. Ni para el mar; el polvo del pasado no siempre es respetable"

[Alberto Ferreras Remesal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesante reseña biográfica de uno de los más grandes e innovadores compositores de la historia de la música, con especial atención a su técnica compositiva y al análisis de sus obras.

[Owen Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book demands attention; therefore I have taken a while to read slowly, in between other books. Part biography and part description and analysis of the composer’s works, it traces Debussy’s life from his early rebelliousness, in refusing to conform to the established musical norms, to his gradual acceptance and growth in stature in musical society, including his acquaintance with several of the most important composers of his time.
His ambivalent attitude to the music of Wagner is interesting for its mixture of apparent envy and disdain, vacillating between the two. Particular interesting is his relationship with the music of his younger contemporary, Ravel. Occasionally, when listening to an unknown piece, I am uncertain whether it is by Debussy or Ravel. We learn that Debussy’s La Soirée dans Grenade is ‘shamelessly’ derivative of Ravel’s Habanera albeit, the author asserts, a better piece. He also claims that ‘Debussy must consciously or unconsciously have thought: excellent, but a lot more can be done with that material’, hence the result. There are other examples of Ravel’s influence on Debussy.
In addition to his compositional and piano-playing skills, Debussy was also known as a conductor, a field in which he experiences anxieties and a few disasters. Despite these, his treatment of working musicians was exemplary, to the extent that, following two concerts in Russia, the orchestra wrote him a gushing, informal letter of thanks.
One of the reasons that I took so long over the book is the attention I paid to the detailed analysis of the music, in particular the piano pieces. The author provides valuable insights, whilst avoiding becoming too technical for the inexpert reader.
The accounts of Debussy’s personal life are informative, entertaining and, occasionally, moving, especially those describing the contrast between his lack of income and his choice to live at a fashionable Paris address. His romantic relationships in his younger years describe an inability to remain faithful to one partner. At every stage of his life, it is clear that personal relationships are less important than music, although he does not appear to have deliberately mistreated anyone he came into contact with.
I have a couple of criticisms. Firstly, on occasions, the reader is allowed to lose track of the dates of some events. Secondly, the musical analysis sometimes intrudes upon the personal story. One way in which the book could have been improved would be to divide each chapter into two, with the biographical details followed by descriptions and analysis of the music of that period. I intend to go through the book again, to read the analyses while listening to the music. It would be easier if the chapters were divided in this way.
A rewarding and enjoyable book.

[Bill FromPA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is primarily a chronological catalogue of Debussy's compositions (and planned or projected compositions, which are numerous) with commentary, hung on a somewhat skeletal biography compiled from secondary sources. Standard biographical features are downplayed to the extent that we are never directly told on which day Debussy was born. It become apparent, given juxtapositions of year and age that he was born in 1862, but it's not until page 237 we can determine the date, indirectly, from the phrase, "... on 23 August 1912, the day after his fiftieth birthday ...".

Works are treated at various levels of detail with some individual songs getting a paragraph or more to themselves, while others, such as the Petite Suite and String Quartet, only a passing mention or little more. Walsh relies on purely verbal descriptions, occasionally somewhat technical, and provides no musical examples.

Given the small progress he actually made on the composition, I wasn't aware that the composer had planned La Chute de la Maison Usher for many years. I found it informative to get a solid sense of the chronology of Debussy's works and think that Walsh's comments on the songs will give me a musical handle and context on those pieces for the next time I listen.

Walsh suggests that the pieces Masques, D'un cahier d'esquisses (Sarabande), and L'isle joyeuse were originally intended as a suite (and that perhaps originally the title Suite bergamasque was conceived for the grouping), but published separately for financial reasons.

"... [Debussy] certainly was not himself one of nature's travellers, except of course in the mind."

[Joel · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading Jan Swafford's books on Mozart and Beethoven, which I consider to be the "gold standard" of composer biography, seamlessly blending compelling biography of the man with his music, I found this to be a bit of a letdown. Debussy's life certainly has drama worthy of a new biography with a cheating scandal, family squabbles all in the context of the French Third Republic and a World War and, oh, also being a revolutionary composer with some of my favorite music of any genre who influenced countless composers (not to mention in jazz as well) that came after, but this book seems to be just concerned with surface level biography. The pieces could be analyzed with score samples in the text, but instead we get dry descriptions that even I, as a music major in college found uninteresting and not very enlightening...again surface level. I'm not really sure what the author was trying to accomplish given this came across to me as an inadequate biography and an inadequate musical analysis. I know it got good reviews from some respected publications, but I guess this one just was not for me. He is a renowned musicologist with an award winning biography of Stravinsky I was going to read but am now on the fence on. I'm giving his book The Beloved Vision book on 19th century music (which seemed to get better reviews) a shot before I decide whether to read Stravinsky but based on this book, I am not a fan of his style.

[Sally Flint · Rating 4 out of 5]

About twice a year I force myself to read 'self-improving' biographies! I chose Debussy, mainly because he is a composer I've been (inadequately) playing for the last 18 months of so, and felt it would be interesting to put some context to his works. Serious biographies are, by and large, too difficult for me, and this one was no exception. I could see though that it has been a labour of love for Stepen Walsh. The writer only irked me once, when he described Debusy's second wife as a 'well kept' 40 year old. No further comment required. Most of the story of Debussy's life did, as expected, go straight over my head and I didn't even try to retain it. My takeaways though were 1) Debussy like so many other artists of his time accepted impoverishment for his art 2) it was so random that he ever became a skilled musician, never mind such a radical composer, 3) he rejected Wagner (but I don't really know what that means) 4) I knew nothing at all of Debussy's operas and now intend to find out more, 5) it is time there was a good film on his life 6) it seems that all great artists of their time are womanisers! 6) he was undoubtedly a genius and learned the rules so that he could break them. So, in terms of my self-improvement I think the book has been reasonably successful! In terms of enjoyment to read, very much so.

[Ferran Benito · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es un libro especialmente denso y lento en su evolución. Tenía bastantes ganas de ponerme con él, pero he tenido que forzarme para acabarlo. No significa que sea un mal libro, pero no era en absoluto lo que esperaba. Habla poco de la vida y del contexto cultural del gran músico, y se detiene en cambio hasta la exasperación analizando meticulosamente la sucesión de acordes de una canción de juventud de Debussy que, según dice, será decisivo en su desarrollo estético. Es solo un ejemplo, pero ya veis por dónde voy.

En cualquier caso, sí vale la pena advertir de que se trata de un libro que, sin ser un manual, resulta bastante técnico, por lo que no será probablemente una lectura placentera ni útil para quien carezca de conocimientos musicales bastante avanzados (para los que los posean, puede no serlo tampoco, a no ser que estén escribiendo una tesis doctoral sobre Debussy). La parte de los estudios se salva un poco, porque habla de su época de estudiante y explica su relación ambivalente con Wagner, pero a partir de ahí entra ya en el análisis profundo de sus obras y poca cosa más.

A los aventureros que a pesar de todo quieran adentrarse ahí, eso sí, les recomendaría que tengan a mano unos buenos auriculares, porque la lectura del libro sin la escucha meticulosa de las obras que refiere me parece, francamente, una pérdida de tiempo.

[Sam Levatich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exceptionally well considered writing about Debussy's music, evocative and insightful, and that ultimately carries my positive opinion here, but in general I prefer a bit more contextual detail to supplement - this was reaaally focused on the music. Rare to find a book that meets you more at a deeper level of music theory understanding, which I do appreciate, but feel like books as a medium struggle with music nonfiction without very well curated and accessible supplemental audio guides so leaning more towards reflections on how music relates to situational context plays better to its strengths maybe. Was neat to reflect on how stylistic advancements were so dependent on access (privileged) to cross cultural exchange (worlds fairs type events) but the book was not so interested in broader conversations. The real thing that bummed though was the style is ironically pithy and dry - the sentences were positively stuffed full of clauses and untranslated french that maaaaybe works for a certain audience. But imagine... the opposite of a debussy piece and you'll have a good sense of the writing style here.

Pithy one liner version: the music writing was sharp but stylistically fell a bit flat *rimshot*

Thanks for coming to my annual fall classical music nonfiction ted talk

[Roberto Cantos · Rating 3 out of 5]

"What follows is a biography of sorts, but it is a biography with the difference that it sets out to treat Debussy's music as the crucial expression of his intellectual life." - Stephen Walsh

Arranged chronologically, a chapter will usually cover a certain time frame in Debussy's life. While it certainly covers Debussy's biography - it pays special attention to his "intellectual life." What were the theories of art and music that he was engaging with? Which was he rebelling against? What philosophy of music was he espousing at various points in his career? It definitely backs up these claims with evidence.

It catalogs his many works, often offering a brief analysis and contextualizing the work within it's time and within Debussy's career (there are many references to Debussy's other works when analyzing a piece). It also catalogs his many unfinished works. Finally, it offers up how Debussy was consumed and thought of in various time periods.

Very well-researched, well thought out, and well-written. A bit academic. Overwhelming for someone who was not familiar with Debussy's work. But I liked it.

[Jason Gomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book and loved the fact that I discovered a great deal of his lesser known pieces throughout his career. I would also say that one of the strongest moments in the book is the kind of postlude chapter at the end that puts Debussy’s life and work into the perspective of the pantheon of great composers and explains Debussy’s innate ability to be revolutionary but always guided by beauty. Change does not always require being esoteric. It is a really nice essay that helped me expand my perspectives of the unfolding of western music history in general.

Unfortunately and maybe even obviously, the book is best enjoyed with a front loaded knowledge of music history and the artistic movements of Debussy’s time all the way up to post-Debussian 1920s. Even with a music degree I found myself reaching for my phone often to look one thing or another up.

The author does lay out the composers life in a clean chronological matter (this happened and then this), which at times can make areas of the book drag. It would have been nice if were more narrative in nature and less dry/sterile.

This was my first Debussy book and would welcome suggestions on others if anyone has any.

[L C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a Masters Degree in Music - thus, I have a considerable background in music theory. I believe that would help in reading this, as others have noted. That said - I will revise this when I am done reading it in full - but WOW. It's richly detailed with the history of not only Debussy but his contemporaries in art and music. The detailed historical perspective on Debussy and his influence by Wagner and going forward into atonalism is also extremely interesting. If you're like me, you will especially be fascinated learning about such characters as Peladon, and La Salon de la Rose + Croix - a fascinating would be cult leader and art figure of the time. I found myself googling articles and reading lots of other material on the figures of the time, and delving down rabbit holes opened up by this biography. It's a rich portrait of the time, and of Debussy's work and lineage in music. For someone like me, who actually performs Debussy, this was a rich resource and I am going to be going back to excerpts and making notes for my performances and general interest in the artist and his work.

[Serge Pierro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephen Walsh presents an interesting overview of the life and music of French composer, Claude Debussy. While most biographies tend to focus on the life of the subject, Mr. Walsh has slanted the focus of the book towards the Debussy's music, while providing biographical details about his life surrounding these works.

As a musician, I found the focus on Debussy's music to be quite interesting, yet there were some disappointments. There is absolutely no musical notation contained within the book. It would have been nice to have a point of reference for the times when Walsh would go into detail about the works at hand. This proved to be a major shortcoming of the book. The biography provided an interesting look at his life, but I can't help but think that a book that was more focused on the artist himself would have yielded more depth to subject.

Overall, this should provide a decent introduction to the works and life of an original composer/musician for those looking to see what Debussy and his music is all about. Perhaps my favorite classical composer.

[Jeremiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has pages upon pages of musical analysis, and that's probably not the way to grab most people. I certainly set out on this book a bit scared .But I found this book is a caring companion, both and gentle teacher of Debussy and of music. The analysis mostly sticks with descriptions of melody, harmony, tonality, and other concepts familiar to everyone. Ignore all complaints about jargon. It's hard to imagine what they're talking about. When he does introduce a more obscure term, he literally tells you what it means. I now have a firm grasp of the character of each of Debussy's pieces. As for the passages about Debussy's life, because they're only half the book, there's only time for good parts. We grow intimately acquainted with the dramas of Debussy's life, particularly his continual womanizing and the sometimes rather dramatic (and heartbreaking) consequences. Also, the text occupies 290 pages- it's a succinct, brief read. I wholeheartedly recommend this.

[Cynthia Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Walsh has created a well-researched and interesting biography as well as a musical journey as he examines Debussy’s works as he grew and developed. The great French composer Anchille Claude Debussy fussed so much over the detail of his work, ignoring contracts and schedules and promises; everything depended on his own sensibility, and he could not – would not – fall back on what was traditional to help him over awkward joins or moments of failing inspiration. One should listen to the music Walsh uses to compare Debussy’s work to other contemporary musicians to truly appreciate the depth of his research and to experience the music created by this influential composer and others during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

[Will White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent biography of a composer whose life story rarely gets much attention. Walsh did a fine job of teasing out the various strands of Debussy's working methods and personal life, and went into plenty of detail on the music. I particularly appreciated what a wag Debussy was, referring to César Franck as “the modulation machine” and saying that Bach could have used “a friend who could gently have advised him not to write one day a week.”

This is neither an in depth scholarly tome, nor a breezy overview (though it tends more toward the latter.) For me, it was a great introduction to the life of a composer whose music I've known for a long time, and I was especially pleased to learn about several of the minor works and aborted projects Debussy worked on that you just don't hear about.

[Sherrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

***I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway***

I love the concept of writing a composer's biography through his music. It's very elegant and, I believe, something the artist would appreciate. I also love how the author compares the music to impressionist paintings with specific examples and stories. That was very enlightening.

Overall, though, I think this book misses the mark. It's too technical for a layperson but too general for a serious musician. There were many musical discussions that I couldn't follow and had to ask my resident expert about. The biography got lost in those details and even though they were well written it just made it hard to get lost in.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting biography of the music - Walsh specifically states at the outset that he doesn't want to focus on all the things that happened in the composer's life, but in the development of his music, so the narrative of the life becomes secondary. I gave it one less star because if you're not familiar with all the music, it can feel a little remote (maybe that's actually giving myself one star off...). It made me want to go listen to Debussy, though, which was probably the idea. I've always enjoyed listening to Ravel more, but Debussy was the more quietly radical, so I want to do some attentive listening.

[Dena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminded me that an amazing artist is not always an amazing person. "...He was a ruthless perfectionist, and if one sometimes feels that his treatment of the people in his life - the teachers he mocked, the women he ruined, the friends he lied to and sponged off - was not all it might have been, we can go to the music for an explanation, if not for an excuse."

I learned some very interesting history and music theory and enjoyed listening to Debussy's music while I was reading it. The writing is expressive and thorough, if a bit technical for my taste.