Paul Dukas was a prominent French composer, critic, scholar, and teacher, born on October 1, 1865, in Paris. Though his compositional output was relatively sparse, Dukas's exacting standards and meticulous craftsmanship earned him a significant place in the French musical pantheon. He is perhaps best known to the general public for his symphonic scherzo "L'Apprenti sorcier" (The Sorcerer's Apprentice, 1897), which gained widespread recognition after being featured in the 1940 Disney animated film "Fantasia."

A man of deep intellect and wide-ranging interests, Dukas studied at the Conservatoire de Paris and evolved his style through the influence of Wagnerian drama and French impressionistic color. Despite the fame he garnered from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," his oeuvre includes other remarkable pieces such as the opera "Ariane et Barbe-bleue" (Ariadne and Bluebeard, 1907), the ballet "La Péri" (1912), and a Symphony in C (1896). His piano sonata, a staple of the repertoire, demonstrates his complex harmonic language and affinity for expansive, yet coherent, musical structures. In his later years, Dukas devoted much of his time to teaching, counting among his students many who would become luminaries themselves, such as Olivier Messiaen and Joaquín Rodrigo. Paul Dukas passed away on May 17, 1935, leaving behind a legacy of precision and inspiration that continues to resonate in concert halls around the world.

Genres

Classical

Early Modern Classical

French Romanticism

Impressionism

Post-romantic Era

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Latest Release

Boléro - From Ravel to Fauré and Chabrier

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Camille Saint-Saëns•

Claude Debussy•

Domenico Cimarosa•

Gabriel Fauré•

Joseph Haydn•

Ludwig van Beethoven•

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Maurice Ravel•

Paul Dukas•

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Richard Wagner•

Sergei Prokofiev•

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Album - 92 Tracks - Released November 17, 2024