Henri Duparc

Henri Duparc probably left the smallest body of work of any major composer. He is primarily remembered for his 17 late Romantic mélodies (French art songs) many of which are considered masterpieces of the genre. His legacy is small because he essentially stopped composing at 36, probably as a result of mental illness, and he later destroyed many works, including his most ambitious project, an unfinished opera based on Pushkin. Among his best-known songs are Chanson triste, Soupir, Extase, L'invitation au voyage, Le manoir de Rosamonde, Phidylé, and La vie antérieure. Other remaining works include several orchestral and piano pieces.