A contemporary of Claude Debussy and Vincent d’Indy, Paul Dukas (1865-1935) established himself as a pioneer in the fin de siècle and early twentieth-century French music scene. Although his inclination to self-criticism led him destroy several manuscripts, Dukas's masterpieces—the symphonic poem L’Apprenti sorcier (1897), the opera Ariane et Barbe-bleue (1899-1907), and the ballet La Péri (1912) —have continued to attract international audiences. His musical style encompassed elements of French Romanticism to Modernism: an integration of the French artistic renovation and his own musical language.

Dukas’s legacy is beyond his creative output as a composer: he was a creative editor, prolific critic, and well-respected pedagogue. As composition professor at the Paris Conservatoire, he was a teacher-mentor to Olivier Messiaen, Elsa Barraine, and Tony Aubin. After his death in 1935, his colleagues and former students honored the composer by writing a collection of nine short piano pieces, entitled Le Tombeau de Paul Dukas. It was published as a musical supplement in La Revue musicale (1936). A rarely-performed collection, these miniature keyboard works give the audience a glimpse into Dukas’ musical aesthetic through the lens of his peers. In her performance of these pieces, Dr. Seulki Susie Yoo reveals the imaginative compositional devices used to voice the composers' lamentations of the deceased maestro.

The first piece, Florent Schmitt’s Tombeau de Paul Dukas, opens with a chordal theme accompanied by an ostinato, played by Yoo with great clarity and lyricism. Soon, this tranquillo thematic material moves through variants of expressions; the ostinato then withdraws, and the music reaches a chant-like section. As the music progresses, the passage ends with warm and distinctive bell sounds in the higher register of the instrument. A contrasting, restless transition with rich and weighty staccatos, above which the melodious chordal figure gradually develops into a luscious, yet passion-filled section then follows. Yoo's sentimental performance demonstrates a rich singing tone throughout the thematic material, keeping the listener engaged by expressing wide-ranging emotions. The seamless stylistic changes between the spacious, intense middle section and variants of the tranquillo motive are played with mature technique and artistry. The music closes with the return of the opening motivic materials to unify the piece.

The second piece, marked andante molto sostenuto, is Manuel de Falla’s tribute to his friend and former mentor. An orchestral arrangement of this unpublished piano piece was made in 1938, subtitled Spes vitae [Hope of life], perhaps is another salute to Dukas. Yoo interprets the tonal richness of the French impressionism with a warm, intensely expressive tone.

In contrast, the two compositions that follow —Gabriel Pierné’s Prélude and Guy Ropartz’s A la Mémoire de Paul Dukas—embody Dukas via various musical techniques. Pierné’s solemn Prélude unfolds its theme using Baroque figuration, well-defined and balanced in Yoo's interpretation. Ropartz’s A la Mémoire is performed with a sentimental and reflective approach after the dark, grave chordal opening.

The final five memorial contributions were written by Dukas's former pupils Rodrigo, Krein, Messiaen, Aubin, and Barraine. Joaquin Rodrigo’s Hommage à Paul Dukas echoes Schmitt’s Tombeau with the use of ostinato that ties the entire piece together as a whole. Yoo performs the sorrowful minor piece, including a mournful bell-like figure, in a soulful and sensitive manner. Her interpretation demonstrates a heartfelt response and vast range of tone quality and emotions.

Julien Krein and Olivier Messiaen's contributions, both entitled Pièce, demonstrate a drastic differentiation in their musical language. Yoo's performance of Krein’s work is emotional, with layers of luxurious chords, whereas Messiaen’s Pièce is performed with boldness––the ending is powerful and striking. Both pieces draw the audience into the fascination of Dukas’s diverse influence on his pupil’s musical expressions, while immersing us in an emotionally intense ambience.

Tony Aubin’s Le Sommeil d’Iskender resurrects Dukas by quoting the late composer’s ballet La Péri. This is a sentimental yet powerful work: the title and the opening quotation (Il sentit l’ombre l’entourer) signify Aubin’s summons of Dukas. He also leaves traces of Dukas by citing thematic and harmonic materials in this piece. This miniature exhibits a wide range of emotions, from an inward, reflective opening motif that mirrors Peri’s theme, a magnificent fortissimo climax, to the closing with a restful, tranquillo ending. Yoo's ability to execute these diverse elements in this piece is evident; she plays the tender opening with poise, and later the majestic climax with passion. Her sophisticated rendering of the piece, with its sublime color change, brings multiple magical moments to the audience.

The memorial collection closes with Elsa Barraine’s Hommage, which opens with a rhythmic bass line framing a lyrical melody. The piece slowly descends into the lower register of the piano and reaches a brief climatic moment, then returns and closes with a calm, transparent timbre that echoes the opening. This stylistically distinct musical sketch is infused with a translucent, vibrant tone in Yoo's performance, a transcendental ending to the collection. The performance depicts Barraine’s restful Hommage with much sensitivity and grace.

Yoo's exquisite performance of this lesser-known work displays a high level of artistry and comprehensive understanding of diverse musical styles. Her efforts to champion this collection is laudable, as Dukas warrants recognition for his legacy as composer, teacher, scholar, and critic.