Paul Dukas was born in Paris on October 1, 1865. He studied composition at the Paris Conservatoire with Ernest Guiraud; in 1928, Dukas himself became a professor of composition at the Conservatoire. Like Schumann, Debussy, and Thomson, Dukas was a prominent music critic as well as a composer. He composed a variety of works, mostly for orchestra, voice, or piano. He was not prolific, and he destroyed numerous pieces that did not meet his standards. His most frequently performed composition is The Sorcerer's Apprentice . He died in Paris on May 17, 1935.
Paul Poujaud, a lawyer, was friends with Dukas and many other notable French musicians in the early 20th century.
From the guide to the Paul Dukas: Correspondence with Paul Poujaud, 1891-1935, (Irving S. Gilmore Music Library, Yale University)
