His most celebrated piece is the Symphonie Espagnole, a five-movement concerto for violin and orchestra that remains a popular work in the standard repertoire.

This reception led Lalo to dedicate most of his career to the composition of chamber music, which was gradually coming into vogue in France, as well as to composing works for orchestra.

His music is notable for its strong melodies and colourful orchestration, with a Germanic solidity that distinguishes him from other French composers of his era.

Le Roi d'Ys, an opera based on the Breton legend of Ys, is Lalo's most complex and ambitious creation.

Lalo died in Paris in 1892, leaving several unfinished works, including his opera, La Jacquerie, that was completed by Arthur Coquard.

Lalo's son Pierre (6 September 1866 – 9 June 1943) was a music critic who wrote for Le Temps and other French periodicals from 1898 until his death.