Ideas for enjoying Claude Debussy’s music this month:
- Listen to Clair de Lune while sipping a cup of French Verveine / Verveine Odorante and admiring a Monet painting or two (or Renoir’s) — this would be especially lovely on a gloomy or cloudy day, but you don’t have to wait for one, as Clair de Lune could be playing on the background as you sit outside on your porch enjoying a quiet, star-filled evening . Get your telescope out and look at the moon. Other ideas: read some books about the moon, make a chart of moon phases, etc.
- A Bit of Trivia: Debussy’s Clair de Lune was supposed to have been included in the movie Fantasia. Alas! The film was just too long and the segment featuring Clair de Lune was cut. It is, however, included in the Fantasia 3-DVD set, in case you want to see it.
- A short bio of Claude Debussy can be found at Classics for Kids.
- I have not found kids’ books written specifically about Debussy (please let me know if you have!) but I did find out that he’s included in the following compilations: Story-Lives of Master Musicians by Harriette Brower, Famous Composers for Young People by Burch and Wolcott, Heroes of Music by Renee Fisher, History’s 100 Greatest Composers by Helen L. Kaufmann, Masters of Music: Their Works, Their Lives, Their Times by Samachson and Samachson.
- There are also bits and pieces about him here:
- page 32-33 story of the orchestra — where Arabesque No. 1 is featured
- page 30 the young person’s guide to the orchestra – about Iberia
- page 65 lives of the musicians – about his influence on other composers
so if you have any of those books….
- The Classics for Kids website features Corner Suite and 4 shows you can listen to; after listening, if you are so inclined, there are short quizzes available. All can be accessed through this link.
- For more examples of Impressionist Music, click here.
- For your girls, Betsy and the Great World (Betsy-Tacy series), where there’s a brief mention of Debussy.
Recent Comments