Imagine a picture of a sunset that, being taken from a plane window, overlooks an endless array of clouds faintly resembling the foamy waves of a restless ocean. Now imagine that you want to describe this picture to your friend, but with only one word. You might try to describe it with a single color: maybe blue, since that's most prominent in the picture. Or maybe, you decide that the word "sunset" is more descriptive. The truth, however, is that regardless of your choice, your friend will not be able to reimagine the image with any respectable amount of accuracy, for by limiting yourself to a single word, information will inevitably be lost. This is why, when describing a picture, we look at it as a whole, examining the relationships between colors and then determining what it best represents.

Though such a task might initially seem absurd, we often take a similarly shallow view when it comes to our analysis of music history. The term "impressionism" is an excellent example of this disappointing truth. Commonly used to describe the works of Debussy, the word suffers from an imprecise definition and therefore gives us little detail about the intent or purpose behind his compositions. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated issue and is indicative of a bigger problem: our obsession with classification has resulted in the pursuit of a reductionist view of musical history and analysis that has prevented us from truly looking at the individuality of musical masterpieces.

So how did Debussy come to be inextricably connected with impressionism? The word actually originated as a derogatory term with which to describe Monet’s paintings. He and his contemporaries were admonished for “[rendering] not the landscape but the sensation produced by the landscape.” [1] Their art was described as creating “a visual sensation by producing an object that is recognizable but altered to change the way in which it is perceived into a less concrete and more intuitive process.” [2] As was the case with Monet, the term was initially used as a slight towards Debussy: in a review of one of the composer's submissions to a competition, the judges stated that his “feeling for musical color is so strong that he is apt to forget the importance of accuracy of line and form. He should beware this vague impressionism which is one of the most dangerous enemies of artistic truth.” [3] Perhaps because of this criticism during his formative years, he later expressed his disdain for the label, explaining: “I am trying to do ‘something different’… what the imbeciles call ‘impressionism’ is a term which is as poorly used as possible, particularly by art critics.” [4]

Regardless of Debussy's feelings on the subject, the term has remained linked to his music. Various theories have been put forth in an attempt to better explain this relationship and the possible musical qualities that fuel its persistence. One of the most prevalent of these theories stems from the obvious parallels between Debussy’s music and the visual impressionist art movement. These artists strove to push the techniques of their medium into a new era that was easily distinct from that of the previous generation. In much the same way, Debussy, though academically trained at the Paris Conservatory, rejected much of common practice harmony, form, and style in favor of a more expressive set of new ideas. [5] He was also an avid follower of other new artistic movements, especially Art Nouveau. This trend was based on a “highly decorative, intricate style of representing figures and nature.” [6] The intense focus placed on the “line, especially in the winding curlicues of vines, flowers, and women’s hair” influenced Debussy’s conception of the “arabesque,” an ornamental motive used throughout a piece to evoke images of nature. [7] With this and other examples of compositional techniques that bear a noticeable resemblance to those typical of visual art in the late 19th century, it seems quite natural to draw a link between the two. However, there are some who feel that these elements can be attributed just as easily to Debussy's appreciation for symbolism in literature, especially poetry. [8] Though in both cases the connection is easy to see, it is less clear how a man appreciating multiple new artistic trends came to be described by impressionism alone.