Rhythm, melody, tonality, these are three things unknown to Monsieur Debussy and deliberately disdained by him. His music is vague, floating, without color and without shape …

—Arthur Pougin, 1902

The music of M. Debussy leads to the emaciation and ruin of our essence. It contains germs not of life and progress, but of decadence and death.

—Camille Bellaigue, Revue des Deux Mondes, 1902

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References:

• “modern music”
• “Duke Ellington”
• “vague, floating”
• “emaciation and ruin”