Information about the piece

The Little Negro was composed by Claude Debussy, who is hailed as one of the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Published in 1909, this piece was part of a collection of piano studies intended for children.

The work has strong elements of African influence, which can be attributed to the wave of enthusiasm for African culture that swept through Europe towards the end of the 19th century. This was a period when African artifacts began to influence several European artists, musically, visually, and literarily.

Musically, The Little Negro is a wonderful example of Debussy’s unique style that incorporated novel harmonic structures and broke away from the strictly regimented rhythm of traditional classical music. It's a relatively short piece, written in C major, and showcases:

• Innovative usage of scales;
• Distinctive Debussy harmonies;
• The use of pedaling for creating contrasting musical effects.

For those piano players wishing to explore the rich and engaging world of Debussy’s music, an intermediate version of The Little Negro is available for purchase and download on our site. It provides an excellent entry point into his compositions and allows you to appreciate the groundbreaking developments Debussy brought to music.