Félicien David (1810–1876) was a French composer known for his pioneering work in programmatic and exotic-inspired music. A member of the Saint-Simonian movement in his early years, he traveled to the Middle East and North Africa, experiences that greatly influenced his compositions. His most famous work, *Le désert* (1844), is a symphonic ode that vividly evokes desert landscapes and became a major success in France. He also composed operas like *Lalla Roukh* and *Herculanum*, as well as chamber music and piano works. Though less widely celebrated today, David played a key role in introducing Orientalist themes to 19th-century French music.
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