As part of ‘The Listener’s Companion’ series, Experiencing Debussy does not require extensive prior knowledge of music theory or music history. Davidian’s writing is clear and accessible. Recommended.

Choice Reviews

Why write about music? It’s a fair question for an aural art form. A listener can simply enjoy the beauty of hearing the “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.” But how much more delightful if the listener also understands how Debussy achieved the musical equivalents of the words sinewy, sideways, and drowsy?

Theresa Davidian’s expertly researched book, Experiencing Debussy: A Listener’s Companion, works best when she writes plainly for the non-musician. . . . Davidian includes personal details that allow the listener to put together the puzzle of Debussy’s life [and] discusses Debussy's passion for literary symbolism.

New York Journal of Books

This is a most engagingly-written book, enhanced by the author's own researches and peppered with anecdotes. Readers will be drawn to Debussy's music and the artistic world of Paris from which it emerged.

Richard Langham Smith, research professor, Royal College of Music, London

This book is definitely a must-read, guiding listeners to a precious apprehension of the complexities of Debussy’s music, from the passage of Romanticism to Impressionism and opening the way to the Contemporary Era. It is really worth the read.

Philippe Entremont, conductor and pianist

Debussy is and has always been a popular composer, yet the background to his music and life is complex, sometimes seemingly imponderable. Davidian is a beacon of light, writing in a lucid, approachable way that is sure to enrich our appreciation of this extraordinary musician.

Simon Trezise, Head of Music, Trinity College Dublin