--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Claude Debussy studied at the Paris…" description: "\"When Claude Debussy studied at the Paris Conservatory from age ten to age twenty-two, many considered him a rebel because of his treatment of dissonanc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/912/claude-debussy-11298_age_when-claude-debussy-studied-at-the-paris_923440.jpg" --- # When Claude Debussy studied at the Paris Conservatory from… ![“When Claude Debussy studied at the Paris Conservatory from age ten to age twenty-two, many considered him a rebel because of his treatment of dissonance and his disdain for the established forms. He reputedly turned to a fellow student during a performance of Beethoven with the words, "Let's go…” quote by Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/912/claude-debussy-11298_age_when-claude-debussy-studied-at-the-paris_923440.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/912/claude-debussy-11298_age_when-claude-debussy-studied-at-the-paris_923440.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/912/claude-debussy-11298_age_when-claude-debussy-studied-at-the-paris_923440.jpg) > “When Claude Debussy studied at the Paris Conservatory from age ten to age twenty-two, many considered him a rebel because of his treatment of dissonance and his disdain for the established forms. He reputedly turned to a fellow student during a performance of Beethoven with the words, "Let's go. He's starting to develop.” [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Debussy’s unconventional use of dissonance and rejection of tradition marked him as a rebel. **In simple terms:** Debussy broke musical rules. Key Takeaway Embrace creative risk. Themes art rebellion innovation Mood reflective analytical Type artistic historical When to use this quote - composing - performing - teaching - critical analysis Key Concepts dissonance form breaking musical modernism Questions to Reflect On - How does rebellion fuel artistic growth? - When should tradition be respected? A Different Perspective Risk can alienate audiences and institutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debussy/) [Disdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disdain/) [Dissonance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissonance/) [Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Rebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebel/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Treatment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treatment/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) ## Related quotes > [Claude Debussy was a rare phenomenon a composer profoundly and subversively revolutionary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/claude-debussy-was-a-rare-phenomenon-a-composer-profoundly-and/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [Claude Debussy defined the guitar as an expressive harpsicord. I believe that is the best definition ever given of the Spanish guitar. This phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-rodrigo/claude-debussy-defined-the-guitar-as-an-expressive-harpsicord-i/) [Joaquin Rodrigo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-rodrigo/) > [When asked by a grumpily puzzled professor what "rules" he followed, Debussy is said to have retorted, mon plaisir "whatever I please" and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/when-asked-by-a-grumpily-puzzled-professor-what-rules-he-followed/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [Some people wish above all to conform to the rules,wish only to render what I can here.There is no theory you have only to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrthrill/some-people-wish-above-all-to-conform-to-the-rules-wish-only-to/) Mrthrill > [When I was growing up, until I was 18 or 19, I was totally invested in the classical music world. I had no concept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-stelmanis/when-i-was-growing-up-until-i-was-18-or-19-i-was-totally-invested-in/) [Katie Stelmanis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-stelmanis/) > [I think you can move to everything, but with some music you just want to sit still. Like Claude Debussy - I couldn't dance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-murphy/i-think-you-can-move-to-everything-but-with-some-music-you-just-want-2/) [Nick Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-murphy/) > [When I was younger, I used to do that a lot: I would hear a part of a song that would really relax me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-krule/when-i-was-younger-i-used-to-do-that-a-lot-i-would-hear-a-part-of-a/) [King Krule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-krule/) > [“When Debussy was seeming to get nowhere with an opera he was composing, he put it this way: "I spent my days pursuing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-debussy-was-seeming-to-get-nowhere-with-an-opera-he-was/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The score of Pelleas and Melisande by Debussy, heralds that which will lift man from the earthly to the celestial, from the mortal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-heline/the-score-of-pelleas-and-melisande-by-debussy-heralds-that-which-will/) [Corinne Heline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-heline/) > [No two composers were more totally at home in front of the piano than Debussy and Chopin, hands to keys to strings to sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/no-two-composers-were-more-totally-at-home-in-front-of-the-piano-than/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I had no idea Stravinsky disliked Debussy so much as this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-newman/i-had-no-idea-stravinsky-disliked-debussy-so-much-as-this/) [Ernest Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-newman/) > [Do you think Duke Ellington didn't listen to Debussy? Louis Armstrong loved opera, did you know that? Name me a jazz pianist who wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-brubeck/do-you-think-duke-ellington-didn-t-listen-to-debussy-louis-armstrong/) [Dave Brubeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-brubeck/) > [I have no doubt that there are great people about though... the thing of it is, nothing to this day moves me like classical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lucas/i-have-no-doubt-that-there-are-great-people-about-though-the-thing-of/) [Gary Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lucas/) > [I love Italian opera - it's so reckless. Damn Wagner, and his bellowings at Fate and death. Damn Debussy, and his averted face. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/i-love-italian-opera-it-s-so-reckless-damn-wagner-and-his-bellowings/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [And now, in honour of the 150th anniversary of Beethoven's death, I would like to play 'Clear the Saloon', er, 'Clair de Lune', by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-borge/and-now-in-honour-of-the-150th-anniversary-of-beethoven-s-death-i/) [Victor Borge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-borge/) ## More by Claude Debussy > [The worship of Adonis is united with that of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/the-worship-of-adonis-is-united-with-that-of-christ/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [Works of art make rules; rules do not make works of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/works-of-art-make-rules-rules-do-not-make-works-of-art/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [Peter Townsend Music is the silence between the notes.. So could it be said that dance is the stillness between the steps?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/peter-townsend-music-is-the-silence-between-the-notes-so-could-it-be/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [Art is the most beautiful deception of all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/art-is-the-most-beautiful-deception-of-all/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [But music, don't you know, is a dream from which the veils have been lifted. It's not even the expression of a feeling, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/but-music-don-t-you-know-is-a-dream-from-which-the-veils-have-been/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [There is nothing more musical than a sunset. 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They're afraid of that sacred idol called 'common sense', which is the most dreadful thing I know - after all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/composers-aren-t-daring-enough-they-re-afraid-of-that-sacred-idol/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [If we look at the works of JS Bach ... on each page we discover things which we thought were born only yesterday, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/if-we-look-at-the-works-of-js-bach-on-each-page-we-discover-things/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [the colour of my soul is iron-grey and sad bats wheel about the steeple of my dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/the-colour-of-my-soul-is-iron-grey-and-sad-bats-wheel-about-the/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [Art is the most beautiful of all lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/art-is-the-most-beautiful-of-all-lies/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [Music is the space between the notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/music-is-the-space-between-the-notes/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [I love music passionately. And because I love it I try to free it from barren traditions that stifle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/i-love-music-passionately-and-because-i-love-it-i-try-to-free-it-from/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [Music is in the space between the notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/music-is-in-the-space-between-the-notes/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) > [Anyone who calls my music "impressionist" is an imbecile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-debussy/anyone-who-calls-my-music-impressionist-is-an-imbecile/) [Claude Debussy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) [Explore all 60 Claude Debussy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-debussy/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. 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That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When Claude Debussy studied at the Paris Conservatory from age ten to age twenty-two, many considered him a rebel because of his treatment of dissonance and his disdain for the established forms. He reputedly turned to a fellow student during a performance of Beethoven with the words, \"Let's go. 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