Claude Debussy

It's easy to trace the roots of classical impressionist music to France. While trying to out-do his competition and think of new and innovative ways to compose classical music, French-born Claude Debussy started laying the ground work for impressionist music in the late 1800s. As he started performing this ingenious style of music to willing audiences, his adept ability was exposed and he has gone down in the annals of history as one of the more interesting composers to have ever lived.