It’s Day 1 of the WQXR Listening Challenge. We’ve chosen 7 pieces to highlight on the air this week and we want to know how this piece of music makes you (or your students) feel.
While you listen: write a poem, share a story, draw a character, create a scene, make a sculpture, draw a comic strip, or record a dance or musical performance and submit it via the form at the bottom of the page. Make sure you click "Done" when you're ready to submit!
Download our Listening Compass to help you focus.
Arabesque No. 1 - Claude Debussy
The French composer Claude Debussy wrote his Arabesque #1 around 1890, while he was in his 20s. The piece is an early example of Impressionism, a musical style he pioneered that is characterized by a focus on mood and atmosphere. With its fluttering arpeggios and evocative melodies, the piece continues to serve as a great introduction for young piano students to Debussy’s distinctive musical language.
INTERESTING FACT: After becoming a father, Debussy wrote and dedicated a suite of piano music to his daughter Claude-Emma, known as the Children’s Corner suite.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Other classic piano works by Debussy, including Clair de lune, Rêverie, and Reflets d'un l'eau.