Dukas: Fanfare pour précéder La Péri (Symphonic Brass Ensemble) Brass Ensemble - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1568151

Paul Dukas was a renowned French composer and teacher whose career was profoundly shaped by his self-critical nature. Born and raised in Paris, Dukas spent his entire life there, earning respect as an insightful composer and a distinguished professor. He studied at the Paris Conservatory, where he formed a close friendship with Claude Debussy. Debussy’s influence is evident in much of Dukas’ music.

Despite his immense talent, Dukas was highly critical of his own work, often destroying his manuscripts. Of all his compositions, only seven major and five minor works survive today. Fortunately, he preserved his most famous piece, the symphonic scherzo L'Apprenti Sorcier (The Sorcerer's Apprentice), which remains a beloved staple in the orchestral repertoire.

Dukas nearly destroyed another masterpiece, the ballet La Péri (The Fairy), but friends intervened to save it. This work includes the now-famous Fanfare from La Péri, originally written as an opening for the ballet. Interestingly, Dukas added the fanfare at the last minute in 1912 to help settle noisy audiences before the ballet began. It became a celebrated brass piece and the last work he allowed to be published.

Later in his career, Dukas became a professor of composition at the Paris Conservatory, influencing a generation of French composers, including Yvonne Desportes and Olivier Messiaen. His reputation as a perceptive and sensitive music critic earned him admiration from his peers. He even collaborated with Camille Saint-Saëns to complete an unfinished opera by Ernest Guiraud.

The Fanfare from La Péri has since been adapted for modern performances, with substitute parts for Bb trumpets and trombone parts written in bass clef. Its majestic and vibrant character makes it an excellent choice to open any concert, showcasing the brilliance of brass instruments and Dukas’ enduring legacy.