Paul Dukas (1865-1935) was a French composer, critic and teacher, remembered for a small but exceptionally polished body of work. Born in Paris, he studied at the Conservatoire and became one of the most respected musical minds of his generation.

His best-known piece is The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, but his catalogue also includes the opera Ariane et Barbe-bleue, the Symphony in C, a piano sonata and other finely wrought works. He destroyed or withheld much music that failed to meet his standards.

Dukas’s style combines French clarity with rigorous construction and a powerful sense of orchestral colour. His music can be witty, mysterious, dramatic and severe, often all within a tightly controlled frame.

As a teacher he influenced composers including Messiaen and Duruflé. His output may be small, but it has the density of a jeweller’s drawer: few objects, each cut with alarming care.