Jynn Tan wrote:

>As a Malaysian Chinese (though currently residing in Honolulu), and having
>listened to the Nocturnes for over a year now, I've never considered the
>first movement to be anything remotely "Chinese".  Though Debussy may have
>used pentatonic melodies, it doesn't really sound Chinese.  Actually as I
>am listening to it right now, it recalls more of Indonesian/Malaysian
>ethnic music - especially the gamelans (orchestras basically made up of
>only percussive instruments).

Right.  There is also "Pagodes" from his "Estampes".  Debussy was deeply
impressed and so influenced by the Javanese gamelan he heard at the 1889
Paris Exposition.

But are gamelans only made up of percussive instruments? I thought there
were also strings and woodwind??

Well, chimes, gongs, and impressionism certainly resulted in music so
delicate I hold my breath ...

Christine Labroche