Henri Dutilleux developed a unique voice by synthesizing traditional, modern, nationalistic, and foreign elements in his compositions. In this document, I explore these elements in Dutilleux’s piano sonata with a thorough analysis, and search for its inspiration by looking into his formative years. Also, this document will illuminate how Dutilleux was able to formulate and maintain a distinct creative process during a period when diverse compositional styles, such as neoclassicism and serialism, were prevalent in Europe. To this end, this study will discuss such musical styles concurrent in Europe, and their influence on Dutilleux’s compositional process.