Clair de Lune

The third movement of the Suite bergamasque, named after a Verlaine poem — rolling, harp-like arpeggios under a slow-moving melody that drifts through Debussy's characteristic blurred, pedal-soaked harmony. Written in his twenties, published in his forties, and now the most famous piece of music he ever wrote.

Let the pedal do real work here — this is written to blur, not to be played dry — but change it often enough that the bass doesn't turn to mud. Take the tempo markings (and the rubato they imply) seriously; rushing flattens the piece's whole character.

Scores and source editions retain their credited public-domain or licensed provenance.