Though Debussy made no such direct attribution, it is well established that the title of the eighth prelude from book one of his 24 Preludes (Girl with the Flaxen Hair) was inspired by Leconte de Lisle’s poem La fille aux cheveux de lin, which is part of de Lisle'sChansons Ecossaises (Scottish songs) published in 1852.
 
Debussy composed this often orchestrated and even more frequently performed work in January 1910 in a flurry of compositional activity. Debussy, who was a characteristically deliberate composer, finished all of the first 12 preludes in just a few months (started in December of 1909 and completed in February of 1910). Arranged for big brass ensemble by Michael Allen