Ernest Chausson (January 20, 1855 – June 10, 1899) was a French composer. His work is commonly divided into three periods, the first of which is dominated by Massenet and exhibits fluid and elegant melodies. The second period dating from 1886 is marked by a more dramatic character, benefitting by his contacts with the artistic milieux in which he moved. The third period dates from his father's death in 1894 and was influenced by his reading of the symbolist poets and Russian literature, particularly Turgenev, Dostoyevsky, and Tolstoy. Read more on Last.fm