Suite bergamasque how much was written in 1905, it is clear that Debussy changed the names of at least two of the pieces. Passepied had first been composed under the name "Pavane", while Clair de lune was originally titled "Promenade sentimentale". These names also come from Paul Verlaine's poems. The final title of "Suite bergamasque" comes from Verlaine's poem "Clair de lune", which refers to bergamasks in its opening stanza: The "Suite bergamasque" consists of four movements: The first piece in the suite is entitled "Prélude", in the key of F and marked "tempo rubato". It is full of dynamic contrasts with
The Secret of the Selenites gusts of wind; the fleet-footed Cavallo; and Hercules, who is a strong as his namesake. They board a tall-masted ship, the "Clair de Lune", and deliberately sail into a fierce storm. By inflating a trio of hot air balloons and riding a waterspout high into the air, the ship takes flight and leaves Earth. Arriving at the moon, the "Clair de Lune" descends into a lunar crater where it becomes wedged. The adventurers fall into an underground lake and are attacked by swimming monsters, but are rescued by flying creatures and soon meet the Selenites, who are humanoid but have