This is a list of compositions by Claude Debussy categorized by genre, and sorted within each genre by "L²" number, according to the 2001 revised catalogue by musicologist François Lesure,Lesure, François: Claude Debussy : biographie critique : suivie du catalogue de l'œuvre, Paris: Fayard (2003) . which is generally in chronological order of composition date.
(For convenience, the "L¹" numbers from Lesure's original 1977 catalogue are also shown below.Lesure, François: Catalogue de l'œuvre de Claude Debussy, Genève: Minkoff (1977) . They were widely used on recordings, and so on, for twenty years.)
(The "L¹" and "L²" headers can be clicked on to sort the entire list by either numbering. A second click will reverse the order. Reloading the webpage will restore the genre-category order.)
List of compositions
L²L¹TitleScoringDateNotesOrchestral33b38Le Triomphe de Bacchus, suiteorchestra1882lost, but re-orchestrated 1927 by Marius-François Gaillard from the 3 surviving movements (1, 2, and 4) of the piano duet version L 33a46b50bPremière Suite d'Orchestreorchestra1883orchestration of L 46a; 3rd mvt lost63b60bAriettes oubliées, suiteorchestra1912orchestration of L 63a No.1 & 5 by André Caplet under Debussy's supervision68b61bPrintemps, Suite Symphoniqueorchestra (with piano four-hands, harp)1912orchestral version of L 68a by Henri Büsser under Debussy's supervision71b65bPetite Suiteorchestra1907orchestral version of L 71a by Henri Büsser under Debussy's supervision83b77Marche écossaise sur un thème populaireorchestra1893–1908orchestration of L 83a87a86aPrélude à l'après-midi d'un fauneorchestra1891–9492833 Scènes au crépusculeorchestra1892–931st version of L 98; lost––Orchestration of Erik Satie's Gymnopédies:orchestra1897Satie's 1st and 3rd Gymnopédies only, in reverse order: "Lent et grave" and "Lent et douloureux" are Satie's 3rd and 1st respectively.9891Nocturnesorchestra (III. with female chorus)1897–993rd version of L 92 & 3 Nocturnes for violin and orchestra111109La Mer, Trois esquisses symphoniquesorchestra1903–05revised 1908118122Images, Set 3orchestra1905–12I. composed 1909–12; II. composed 1905–08;
III. composed 1905–09?––Children's Cornerorchestra1910orchestration of L 119 by André Caplet under Debussy's supervision–121bLa plus que lenteorchestra1910arrangement of L 128––Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien, Fragments symphoniquesorchestra1911arrangement of selections from L 130 by André Caplet, under Debussy's supervision140b132bBerceuse héroïqueorchestra1914arrangement of L 140aConcertante40a27aIntermezzocello, orchestra18827273Fantaisiepiano, orchestra1889–90––3 Nocturnesviolin, orchestra1894–962nd version of L 98; lost–98bRhapsodiealto saxophone, orchestra1919orchestration of L 104 by Jean Roger-Ducasse113103aDansescross-strung harp, string orchestra1904alternate versions: the published score indicates that the harp part can also be played on regular (pedal) harp or piano124b116bPremière Rhapsodieclarinet, orchestra1911orchestration of L 124aChamber53Piano Trio in G majorpiano, violin, cello1880discovered 1982, published 1986––Nocturne et Scherzoviolin, piano1882lost3926Nocturne et Scherzocello, piano1882arrangement of violin & piano version; only Scherzo survives40b27bIntermezzocello, piano1882arrangement of L 40a9185String Quartet in G minor2 violins, viola, cello1892–93published as Opus 1010498aRhapsodiealto saxophone, piano1901–11124a116aPremière Rhapsodieclarinet, piano1909–10127120Petite pièceclarinet, piano1910piece for the 1910 sightreading examinations of the clarinet classes at the Conservatoire de Paris137129Syrinxflute1913incidental music for the play Psyché by Gabriel Mourey144135Sonata No. 1cello, piano1915145137Sonata No. 2flute, viola, harp1915148140Sonata No. 3violin, piano1916–17Piano solo49Danse bohémiennepiano1880––Intermèdepiano1882transcription of 2nd mvt of Piano Trio L 57466Deux arabesquespiano1890–911. composed 1890; 2. composed 18917567Mazurka piano1890–917668Rêverie piano18907769Tarantelle styriennepiano1890revised c.1901 as Danse7870Ballade slavepiano1890revised c.1901 as Ballade7971Valse romantiquepiano1890revised c.19018275Suite bergamasquepiano1890–91revised 1905; III. original 1890 title Promenade sentimentale;
IV. original 1890 title Pavane;
L # in Lesure catalog (2001) has 82a, but there is no 82b or 82. Possibly a typo, or there was an 82b which was intentionally removed and the number never got changed.8982Nocturnepiano1892––Pelléas et Mélisande, opera in 5 actsvoices, piano1893–1902piano reduction of orchestra part9487Imagespiano1894published as Images oubliées; II. 1st version of Sarabande from Pour le piano L 959595Pour le piano, suitepiano1894–1901II. 2nd revised version of Souvenir du Louvre from Images oubliées L 94105110Images, Set 1piano1901–05108100Estampespiano1903109106L'isle joyeusepiano1903–04110105Masquespiano1903–0411299D'un cahier d'esquisses piano1904117108Pièce pour piano (Morceau de concours)piano1904written for a "guess the composer" contest in Musica magazine––Les accords de septième regrettent !!!piano1905nine-measure fragment written as a birthday present for Debussy's fiancée Emma Bardac119113Children's Cornerpiano1906–08Debussy gave the title of the work and the movement titles in English on his manuscript120111Images, Set 2piano1907122114Le petit Nègrepiano1909also published as "Cake-Walk"123115Hommage à Haydnpiano1909first movement of the collective Hommage à Joseph Haydn collaboration by six composers125117Préludes, Book 1piano1909–10128121aLa plus que lentepiano1910131123Préludes, Book 2piano1912–13–131bSix Épigraphes antiquespiano1915arrangement of L 139140a132aBerceuse héroïquepiano1914141133Pièce pour l'œuvre du Vêtement du blessé (Page d'album)piano1915composed to aid fundraising efforts for wounded soldiers in World War I143136Douze Étudespiano1915143a–Étude pour les arpèges composéspiano1915an alternate piece for No. 11 of Douze Études L 143, it has no musical relation to that piece, though Debussy composed the two simultaneously; discovered 1977, published as Étude retrouvée146138Élégiepiano1915150–Les Soirs illuminés par l'ardeur du charbonpiano1917discovered November 2001, published 2003 title from Charles Baudelaire's poem Le Balcon––Rapsodie in the Style of LisztpianolostPiano duo810Symphony in B minorpiano four-hands1880–81published 1933, premièred 1989 Orchestrated by Tony Finno10–Andante cantabile and Tempo di Marcia Funebrapiano four-hands18812nd movement incomplete, 16 bars only20–Diane, Overturepiano four-hands1881this overture and the vocal duet L 48 are all that survive of the unfinished opera Diane; premiered 1989, published 200233a38Le Triomphe de Bacchuspiano four-hands1882arrangement of lost orchestral suite; III. lost;
IV. lost except for 2 fragments40c27cIntermezzopiano four-hands1882arrangement of L 40a46a50aPremière Suite d'Orchestrepiano, four-hands1883reduction of L 46b––L'enfant prodiguepiano four-handstranscription of the instrumental mvts of L 61 (No.1 & 4)6236Divertissementpiano four-hands188471a65aPetite Suitepiano four-hands1888–8983a77Marche écossaise sur un thème populairepiano four-hands189087b86bPrélude à l'après-midi d'un faune2 pianos189510397Lindaraja2 pianos1901–103bDanses2 pianos1904arrangement of L 113a139131aSix Épigraphes antiquespiano four-hands1914–15arrangement of 6 pieces from Chansons de Bilitis L 102142134En blanc et noir2 pianos1915original title Caprices en blanc et noirStage––Hélène, opera, after the poème antique by Leconte de Lisleopera1881unfinished, one fragment only: Helène: Franchis les mers icariennes (solo with chorus) L 14––Diane au bois, opera, after the play by Théodore de Banvilleopera1881–86unfinished; lost, only two pieces survive: the Overture in a piano four-hands reduction L 20, and fragments of a vocal duet with accompaniment in piano reduction L 48–37Hymnis, opera, after the play by Théodore de Banvillevoice, chorus, orchestra1882unfinished; lost, only two pieces survive with accompaniment in piano reductions: Il dort encore (aria from Scene 1) L 34, and Ode Bachique (vocal duet) L 41––Salammbô, opera, after the novel by Gustave Flaubertopera1885sketches only8072Rodrigue et Chimène, opera in 3 actsopera1890–93libretto: Catulle Mendès; 2 scenes lost;
complete except for sketches for the orchestration;
"reconstituted" from the mss in 1987 by Richard Langham Smith, orchestrated 1993 by Edison Denisov9388Pelléas et Mélisande, opera in 5 actsopera1893–1902libretto: Maurice Maeterlinck10093La tragédie de la mort, incidental music for the play by René Petervoices, orchestra1899text: René Peter; unfinished, one piece only: Berceuse: Il était une fois une fée qui avait un beau sceptre (solo), scored for solo voice without accompaniment10296Musique de scène pour Les Chansons de Bilitis, incidental musicnarrator, 2 flutes, 2 harps, celesta1900–01text: Pierre Louÿs; three of the pieces are arrangements of L 97106101Le Diable dans le beffroi, short opera based on Poe's "The Devil in the Belfry"opera1902–11libretto: Debussy; unfinished116107Le Roi Lear, incidental music to the Shakespeare play "King Lear"orchestra1904unfinished, 7 sections sketched; 2 sections (Fanfare d'ouverture, Le Sommeil de Lear) completed and orchestrated by Jean Roger-Ducasse 1926121112La Chute de la maison Usher, short opera based on Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher"opera1908–17text: Debussy; unfinished;
completed, revised, and orchestrated by Juan Allende-Blin 1979; also completed (new version) by Robert Orledge 2013130124Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien, Mystère en 5 acts et 5 maisons, incidental music to the play by Gabriele D'Annunzio in 5 actssoprano, 2 contraltos, various chorus, orchestra1911libretto: Gabriele D'Annunzio; orchestrated by André Caplet in collaboration with Debussy––Le Martyre de Saint Sébastiensoprano, 2 contraltos, various chorus, piano1911piano reduction of orchestra part of L 130 by André Caplet and Debussy132b125aKhamma, légende dansée, balletpiano1911–12original title Isis; original version scored for piano132a125bKhamma, légende dansée, balletorchestra1912orchestration of L 132b unfinished, completed by Charles Koechlin 1913133126Jeux, poème dansé, balletorchestra1912–13134104aFêtes galantes, Ballade en 3 tableux, opera-ballet after poems by Paul Verlaineopera1912–15original title Crimen amoris; libretto: Louis Laloy and Charles Morice;
unfinished, possibly never written;
lost136a128La Boîte à joujoux, Ballet pour enfantspiano1913original version scored for piano136b–La Boîte à joujoux, Ballet pour enfantsorchestra1919orchestration of L 136a by André Caplet per Debussy's instructions––Psyché, incidental music for the play by Gabriel Moureyorchestra1913lost, except for Flûte de Pan retitled Syrinx L 137, the rest possibly never written138130No-Ja-Li ou Le palais du silence, Chinese balletorchestra1914unfinished, reconstructed by Robert Orledge 2005, revised 2012 and 2014, premiered 2015Choral1420aHelène: Franchis les mers icariennessoprano, mixed chorus, orchestra1881text: Leconte de Lisle; fragments;
from the unfinished opera HélèneAnh–Fugue pour le concours de fugue4-part chorus1881––Choeur des brises: Réveillez-vous, arbres des boissoprano, female chorus, piano four-hands1882sketch3235Choeur des brises: Réveillez-vous, arbres des boissoprano, 3-part female chorus1882text: Louis Bouilhet37a24aPrintemps: Salut printemps, jeune saison, cantatafemale chorus, orchestra1882text: Anatole de Ségur37b–Printemps: Salut printemps, jeune saisonfemale chorus, piano four-hands1882arrangement of L 37a, not by Debussy?Anh–Fugue pour le concours de fugue4-part chorus1882Anh–Fugue pour le concours d'essai4-part chorus1882Prix de Rome Competition5140Invocation: Élevez-vous, voix de mon âmemale chorus, orchestra1883text: Alphonse de LamartineAnh–Fugue pour le concours de fugue4-part chorus1883Anh–Fugue pour le concours d'essai4-part chorus1883 Prix de Rome Competition;