As the word ‘impressionism’ was first used in painting as a term of abuse, so the first recorded use of the word in connection with music – in 1887 regarding Debussy’s Printemps – was derogatory as well. However, by 1905, the term was applied frequently to musical compositions and it was Debussy himself who maintained that music was able to put impressionist’s theories into practice more fully than painting was able to do, since music could represent the play of light fluidly, whereas painting could only present it statically, and therefore unnaturally. This new lecture & study day examines some of the great works of Debussy (Preludes, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune)