Chabrier initially pursued a legal career, graduating from law school and working at the French Ministry of the Interior before dedicating himself to music.
Composer Biography
Chabrier collected Impressionist paintings, including works by Claude Monet and Édouard Manet, before the style became fashionable, and some are now in leading art museums.
Composer Biography
Emmanuel Chabrier, a French Romantic composer, was admired by many influential composers including Debussy, Ravel, Richard Strauss, Satie, Schmitt, Stravinsky, and Les six.
Composer Biography
Chabrier's piano playing was described as powerful and expressive, with one account stating he once broke several piano strings while playing España.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Gustav Mahler considered Chabrier's work España to be 'the beginnings of modern music'.
Composition History
Chabrier's most famous work, España, was inspired by a trip to Spain in 1882, blending popular airs he heard with his own imagination.
