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Born in France, at a very young age Debussy showed such talent as a pianist that he was sent to the Paris Conservatory where his professors recognized his unique talent, although they were already confused by his early attempts at musical innovation. Widely regarded as the father of musical impressionism, Debussy constantly sought to innovate through his compositions, and developed musical structures inspired by the ideals of the impressionist painters and writers of the time. In Paris, he composed his first masterpieces, including Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (1892) and his String Quartet (1893). However, it was not until later in his career that he composed the pieces for which he is now most famous: La Mer (1905); Images (1905) and Clair de Lune (1905)..
Composed in 1905, the title Claire de Lune (meaning moonlight) was added shortly before its publication in 1905 as the third movement of a four-part work called Suite Bergamasque - one of the most famous piano suites of this French composer. The original title was actually Promenade sentimentale (Sentimental stroll), after a different Verlaine poem from an 1866 collection called Paysages tristes (Sad Landscapes). This poem is more likely to have been the inspiration for the music. The poem begins: “Le couchant dardait ses rayons suprêmes Et le vent berçait les nénuphars blêmes” (The setting sun cast its final rays And the breeze rocked the pale water lilies).
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