Google debuted an animated Google Doodle tribute to classical French composer Claude Debussy Thursday to commemorate the musician's 151st birthday.
The animated doodle features a moonlit riverside scene set to the tune of "Clair de Lune," perhaps Debussy's most famous and recognizable piece.
The doodle begins with floating balloons that transition to a slow-moving riverside panorama of cars, cyclists and a windmill, highlighted by a full moon and flickering lights. The flickering lights correspond to the cadences of the song.
The doodle eventually follows a boat and then transitions to two lonesome boaters crossing paths that end up sharing a red umbrella as a light rain begins.
Debussy was born on Aug. 22, 1862 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. His revolutionary musical structure in the 20th century is often compared to the work of Impressionist and Symbolist painters, according to The Guardian.
The eldest of five children, Debussy's father owned a shop that sold crockery and his mother was a seamstress, according to The Independent. He was apparently encouraged to pursue music by Madame Mauté de Fleurville, who claimed to have studied with Polish composer Frédéric Chopin.
Debussy entered the Paris Conservatory in 1873, where he studied piano and composition. He later won the Grand Prix de Roma in 1884 at the age of 22.
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He died of colon cancer at his home in Paris on March 25, 1918, at age 55.
