Neglected 20th Century French composers

[vinteuil]

But what happened Après le Delage?

(Sorry! )

... almost as bad as the French visitor to London, on seeing St Pancras Station - « c'est magnifique - mais ce n'est pas la gare! »

.

[Sir Velo]

But what happened Après le Delage?

A l'eau (c'est l'heure) peut-etre?

je vais chercher mon manteau.

[Serial_Apologist]

A couple more excellent (female) 20th cent French composers:

Fernande Decruck
Paule Maurice

Apologies to ardcarp for my not having checked these two out earlier. From the little I've found both composers belong to an established French tradition of classical compositions in a light vein featuring the saxophone in sax ensembles or with piano accompaniment with a pedigree going back to Koechlin, and, from the next generation, Jean Francaix and Jean-Michel Damase in particular providing stylistic models.

[Roslynmuse]

Mention of Paule Maurice as a composer particularly of saxophone music reminded me that I read today of the death of Jean-Michel Defaye on Jan 1st at the age of 92. The only piece of his I had come across was his Deux Danses for trombone and piano, but his worklist includes a great deal of music for that combination, or for multiple trombones. The Deux Danses are a staple of the trombone student's repertoire, so it's surprising that his other pieces aren't known over here. Defaye seems to have been well-known in France as a pianist with the Olympia Big Band. He was a student of Nadia Boulanger.

Speaking of trombones, there's a very good piece by Henri Tomasi for trombone quartet, Etre ou ne pas être. Worth seeking out on YouTube.

[Serial_Apologist]

Mention of Paule Maurice as a composer particularly of saxophone music reminded me that I read today of the death of Jean-Michel Defaye on Jan 1st at the age of 92. The only piece of his I had come across was his Deux Danses for trombone and piano, but his worklist includes a great deal of music for that combination, or for multiple trombones. The Deux Danses are a staple of the trombone student's repertoire, so it's surprising that his other pieces aren't known over here. Defaye seems to have been well-known in France as a pianist with the Olympia Big Band. He was a student of Nadia Boulanger.

Speaking of trombones, there's a very good piece by Henri Tomasi for trombone quartet, Etre ou ne pas être. Worth seeking out on YouTube.

Thank you for this information, Roslynmuse. There can't be that many Nadia Boulanger students still living, I imagine.

[Roslynmuse]

Thank you for this information, Roslynmuse. There can't be that many Nadia Boulanger students still living, I imagine.

The Bulgarian, Emile Naumoff, born 1962, describes himself as the 'last disciple' of Nadia Boulanger. If the Wikipedia article about him is accurate, Boulanger described him as 'the gift of her old age'. He is a prolific recording artist (as a pianist) and his Concerto sacré for choir and piano struck me as a fine piece when I heard it a few years ago.

[Ian Thumwood]

Quincy Jones studied with Nadia Boulanger as did Egberto Gismonti who is still alive.

[Serial_Apologist]

Quincy Jones studied with Nadia Boulanger as did Egberto Gismonti who is still alive.

Yes of course - I had forgotten about Quincy! Hadn't realised Gismonti also did.