This translation of Marcel Dietschy's landmark biography of Claude Debussy makes a wealth of information available for the first time in English. Hailed upon publication as one of the most "authoritative" biographies of the composer and "an invaluable and reliable source of reference," this book offers many previously unpublished facts about the composer and his work. With painstaking attention to detail, Dietschy unearths documents about everyone connected with Debussy--in particular, much hitherto unknown information on the composer's family--producing the most accurate account to date of Debussy's life. Seamlessly weaving a clear, jargon-free assessment of Debussy's musical works with an unparalleled account of his life, Dietschy offers a deeply sensitive and sympathetic approach which yields many fresh insights into Debussy's complex personality. In rendering their beautiful translation of this now classic biography, William Ashbrook and Margaret G. Cobb have been able to make a number of corrections, including Dietschy's own list of Errata, not incorporated into the original French edition, La Passion de Claude Debussy (1962). They have also updated the Bibliography and List of Works, and have been able to include information about recently discovered manuscripts. An essential addition to the library of all concert-goers and music lovers, A Portrait of Claude Debussy offers new insights into the life and work of one of the greatest of the nineteenth century French composers.