Emmanuel Chabrier
 

What do you think of the composer? Not a soul ever talks about him or his -ahem-, respectable works. Why do you think that is? He was an influential figure in music in his day, and Espana seem like a fairly well played work for the orchestra. His music is said to have been a major catalyst and in some cases, the catalyst for many of the happenings in the Parisian Avante garde movement. "The six" quite possibly owe their routes to him. You can hear it in his music, it has that oddly sweet sound that I associate with impressionism and likewise, the structure of it closely resembles it as well.

Why do you think he is so underrepresented in discussions about classical composers?

I've heard Espana but I haven't heard anything else by him. What works by him would you recommend?

Works
 

The Overture to Gwendoline is a very flowing and interesting work.
I've listened to only a limited amount of his works myself, Habanera, Joyeuse Marche(this one is often played), Suite pastorale(this one is nice), Larghetto for horn and orchestra(these are all on my CD), Le roi malgré lui(Fete Polonaise is the piece I have from this opera), Prelude Pastoral. That sums up my CD. Check for his works on Itunes. Apparently, I can't post wiki links since I haven't posted enough yet. Just look at his works on Wikipedia.