Debussy - La mer

Debussy actively disliked traditional Germanic forms, so instead of calling it a symphony, he titled it "three symphonic sketches." It was completed in 1905 and features three distinct movements tracing the ocean from dawn to dusk.

Ironically, Debussy wrote most of the piece inland in Burgundy, France, and was actually terrified of the sea in real life. He relied heavily on his childhood memories of the Mediterranean and visual art to inspire the music.

The premiere was conducted by Camille Chevillard in Paris in 1905. The initial reception was lukewarm, partly because the audience was expecting another opera like Pelléas et Mélisande, but it soon became an orchestral staple.

Debussy was deeply inspired by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai, specifically his famous woodblock print "The Great Wave off Kanagawa." Debussy actually requested that a copy of this artwork be printed on the cover of the published score.