I hated this piece as a child. I was a fan of the “German school” of composers: strong functional harmony. Sections of music have to resolve tightly and correctly. So when I heard Clair De Lune, it sounded to me like a cat rolling around on the piano keys.

Then a few months ago, I heard it on the radio. It suddenly made sense. After years of training my ear with contemporary modal music, full of “weak” cadences, I was better able to understand this Debussy piece. The notes float, linger. The chords keep it grounded and add some tension. And of course, that section with the bubbling arpeggio chords is otherworldly.