I have a particular interest in French composers of what I consider a sadly neglected generation, in this country at least - namely those who might be said to belong between Les Six and their contemporaries, such as Ibert and Sauguet, and what one might term the post-Messiaen generation of Boulez, Barraque, Amy, Phillipot and Boucourechliev.
Some of this neglect might possibly be down to a certain kind of "in-betweenness" that characterises their music and position, coming in as they do as many of the Les Six group were turning towards a Neo-Classical aesthetic, (when many of this group share a neo-Romantic outlook, with little in common with contemporaneous developments oustide France), and before the serialist "explosion" from the late 1940s on led by Boulez. It may be of significance that one composers from this age group whose music is broadcast here from time to time falls into a Neo-Classical category that has more in common with, eg, Sauguet, Ibert or Poulenc in the 1930s: Jean Francaix; I cannot, however, recall any of the music of Henri Barraud being broadcast or put on in concerts this side of The Channel.
The eldest of the group recently had, iirc, two works broadcast on Radio 3 - Andre Jolivet, (1905-74) - quite an event for him! He studied under Albert Roussel and also Edgard Varese, an influence apparent in an early work, the "Mana Suite" for piano of 1933, said plausibly to have influenced Messiaen's piano writing in the following decade. Unfortunately only 3 of the movements are available, the second link apparently not working:
One of the most remarkable Jolivet works from the following decade is the Concderto for Ondes Martenot and Orchestra of 1948 - contemporary with his friend Messiaen's Turangalila, though Jolivet uses the instrument in a more percussive manner in the extraordinary middle movement than generally does Messiaen;
Having had the 1960s Erato recording in my possession it is good to have the impression of over-thick scoring mitigated in the clear rendition on those two links: Jolivet does not altogether escape the oft-made charge, but I feel that, as with Villa-Lobos, to be a case of over-running aural imagination resulting in impractibility.
Some of this neglect might possibly be down to a certain kind of "in-betweenness" that characterises their music and position, coming in as they do as many of the Les Six group were turning towards a Neo-Classical aesthetic, (when many of this group share a neo-Romantic outlook, with little in common with contemporaneous developments oustide France), and before the serialist "explosion" from the late 1940s on led by Boulez. It may be of significance that one composers from this age group whose music is broadcast here from time to time falls into a Neo-Classical category that has more in common with, eg, Sauguet, Ibert or Poulenc in the 1930s: Jean Francaix; I cannot, however, recall any of the music of Henri Barraud being broadcast or put on in concerts this side of The Channel.
The eldest of the group recently had, iirc, two works broadcast on Radio 3 - Andre Jolivet, (1905-74) - quite an event for him! He studied under Albert Roussel and also Edgard Varese, an influence apparent in an early work, the "Mana Suite" for piano of 1933, said plausibly to have influenced Messiaen's piano writing in the following decade. Unfortunately only 3 of the movements are available, the second link apparently not working:
One of the most remarkable Jolivet works from the following decade is the Concderto for Ondes Martenot and Orchestra of 1948 - contemporary with his friend Messiaen's Turangalila, though Jolivet uses the instrument in a more percussive manner in the extraordinary middle movement than generally does Messiaen;
Having had the 1960s Erato recording in my possession it is good to have the impression of over-thick scoring mitigated in the clear rendition on those two links: Jolivet does not altogether escape the oft-made charge, but I feel that, as with Villa-Lobos, to be a case of over-running aural imagination resulting in impractibility.
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