Composed 1912; Duration 02:00

Paul Dukas, a scholar and critic, was also an obsessively self-critical composer who destroyed many of his compositions. The scant remaining repertoire demonstrates an avoidance of both conservative and progressive thought, although he gained respect from both camps. He mostly gave up composing after his 1912 one-act orientalist ballet La Péri. Originally penned for the Ballet Russes, the work was eventually premiered by dancer Natalia Trouhanova on a program that featured three other ballets. Dukas knew the audience would be talkative in between the works, smartly adding a fanfare at the last minute to draw their attention.