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
Au clair de la lune she is singing him into drowsiness. I am on the floor, as usual among the chair legs, and I crawl behind my mother's chair because I do not like the song she is singing and do not want her to see what it does to me. She sings: "Au clair de la lune; Mon ami, Pierrot; Prête-moi ta plume; Pour écrire un mot." Then the vowels darken ominously. My mother's voice deepens dramatically, as if she were singing in a theater. This was the part of the song I disliked most, not only because I knew that it was sad,