Debussy’s ‘Clair De Lune’: The Story Behind The Masterpiece

‘Clair De Lune’ is perhaps Debussy’s best-loved piano piece – and that is saying quite a lotgiven the wealth of his output for the instrument. It is the third number (the “slow movement”if you like) of his Suite Bergamasquebut has acquired a life of its own over and above that of its siblings. Yet it is far from being the one and only piece of that title. Listen to our recommended recording of Debussy’s ‘Clair De Lune’ from Lang Lang’s Piano Book and scroll down to discover the story behind the masterpiece.

Debussy’s ‘Clair De Lune’: The story behind the masterpiece

Debussy actually wrote three ‘Clair De Lunes’. The idea is from a poem by Paul Verlaine in his collection entitled Fêtes Galantesthemselves inspired by the paintings of Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721). Debussy set six of these poems to musicincluding this onefirst in 1882then again in 1891. The piano piece dates originally from 1890 and was revised in 1905.

The soul of Symbolism

Watteau’s paintings are styliseddelicate portrayals of courtly life and love in idyllic pastoral settingsthe protagonists sometimes costumed for masquerades as Commedia Dell’Arte characters (HarlequinPierrotColumbineet al). Verlaine took up this atmosphere of disguise and implied hidden desires and carried it into the late 19th century’s Symbolist eraan artistic and literary movement in which nothing can be taken at face value. Everything we perceive becomes a symbol or concealment for something else; our own minds must make subconscious connections to reach the heart of the matter.

“Your soul is a choice landscapein which there roam charming maskers and bergamaskersplaying the lute and dancingas if sad beneath their fantastical disguises,” Verlaine writes in ‘Clair De Lune’ (you’ve probably already noticed that the title of Debussy’s entire piano suite comes from this). They sing “in the minor mode”he writesabout the victories of life and lovewhile never seeming to believe in their own happiness. Their songs mingle with the calm moonlight“sad and beautiful”while the birds dream in the trees and between marble statues great fountains sob with ecstasy.

By the end of the poemwe may have forgotten the implication of its first line: this entire exquisitelanguid scene is actually within the soul of the poet’s beloved. What does that mean? As we listenit’s up to each of us to decide.

Can we hear the poem in Debussy’s music?

Only to a certain degreeperhaps – because originally the piece had a completely different titlewhich was ‘Promenade Sentimentale’. Thattoois from Verlaineafter verses from his Poèmes Saturniens. But when Debussy decided to switch to the more descriptive and precise ‘Clair De Lune’he probably had a good reason to do so. The work shares the poem’s delicacyits plangent yet subtle suggestions of mingled sorrow and beautyand the ‘blue note’ in the middle section – which seems almost to evoke those weeping fountains – encapsulates a certain atmosphere that permeates the entire piece. In his introductory videoLang Lang emphasises ‘Clair De Lune’s’ pictorial nature and likens it to Debussy “creating the most beautifulartistic movie in the world”.

The structure is in three parts. First there’s the whispered melody that breaks into freely rhapsodic triplets and rich yet quiet harmoniesthen a middle section with a new melody characterised by that ‘blue’ note over a rippling accompaniment; this builds up to a gentle climax before the music subsides towards the return of the first themehigh in the treble register. A reminiscence of the middle section forms a short codaand the piece closes in the upward-gazing contemplation in which it began.

Can I play it? – featuring a lesson with Lang Lang

In terms of piano technique ‘Clair De Lune’ is simpler than many of Debussy’s other piecesbut it does have complications of its own. In particularwe need to pay attention to the quality of touch and sound and the subtle gradations of dynamics within those mainly muted colours.

Lang Lang says the opening of Debussy’s ‘Clair De Lune’ is like glimpsing the moon through the trees“perhaps a half moon”gaining clarity now and then. Listen to the way he makes interesting use of the pedal in the opening lines – “With the pedal you can really create that sense of space,” he suggests.

In the middle section of ‘Clair De Lune’ Lang Lang relishes the “blurriness” when “the clouds are chasing the moon”. After the soft first measuresa new colour emerges when the sound strengthens from the bass upwards and his tone in the treble becomes more luminousat least temporarily. This is the richness of detail we can happily aim for when interpreting the piece.

Debussy’s own advice on how to play ‘Clair De Lune’

Interestinglywe also have Debussy’s own advice on how to play ‘Clair De Lune’. The pianist Maurice Dumesnil once visited the composer for a coaching session and wrote an article about what he had learned. He reports that Debussy did not want the triplets in the first section to be too strictly in time: there should be “a general flexibility”. Dumesnil then says the composer advised him “to depress the two pedals before startingso that the overtones would vibrate immediately upon contact.”

In the middle sectionrising to the piece’s most emotionally expressive momentDebussy told him not to exaggerate the crescendo or the rubatobut keep the expression dignified: anything suggesting the excesses of Italian opera must be avoided! And here is how he says Debussy described the middle section: “The left hand arpeggios should be fluidmellowdrowned in pedalas if played by a harp on a background of strings.” Perfect.

Recommended Recording

Debussy’s ‘Clair De Lune’ is featured on Lang Lang’s album Piano Book – a collection of pieces that first inspired Lang Lang to play the piano as a child and led him on his path to international stardom. Lang Lang said“I dedicate this album to my wonderful piano students and all my friends around the world who love the piano as much as I do.”

Buy or stream Lang Lang’s Piano Book here.