Henri Dutilleux is a major figure in contemporary French music. He is almost unique in the history of music, in fact he is probably the only composer to achieve unanimity in his lifetime from musicians of all stands (avant-garde or defenders of a certain musical tradition …).

He is an independant  composer, in perpetual search of his own musical language. He stands out from the mainstream of music creation for that reason. Remained too much in the shadow of Olivier Messiaen, Henri Dutilleux is a discreet, self-effacing caracter. He made ​​few compositions but each of his new works is a big event that attracts the attention of all the musical world.

I will leave you to discover a samples of his Piano Sonata, composed in 1946.
1946 is also the year he married the pianist Genevieve Joy, who became the interpreter of his piano works: she’s the one who created the Piano Sonata in 1947. This work marks a rupture from his previous works which were still deeply rooted in the impressionist legacy.

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Source – Universalis