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Debussy at the piano

Accounts describing Debussy as a pianist

Introduction

Debussy at the piano! One had to have seen it to appreciate its magic. No words could describe the mysterious enchantment of his playing... Jacques-Emile Blanche 1932

In this section I have collected and systematized accounts describing the piano playing of Claude Debussy. Most of them can be found in Nichols (see references), and are accounts by all kinds of people who knew or just met Debussy, and heard him play. Some of these people were pianists, and even students of Debussy (see the introduction of the Debussy piano method section).

Many of these accounts are overwhelming in the description of Debussy. One has to bear in mind that they were told by people after Debussy had become a famous composer, and that the accounts probably are influenced by the fact that they had become glamorous memories of an encounter with a famous man.

There are also some concert critiques here. These are contemporary accounts, and are more sober or critical than the other accounts.

The accounts, taken together, give a fascinating and interesting glimpse of the piano playing of Claude Debussy.