Episode 3
Donald Macleod considers what being part of seemingly disparate artistic group Les Six meant to Darius Milhaud. Works include Catalogue des Fleurs and Le carnaval d'Aix.
In post-war Paris Darius Milhaud became part of an artistic community that was close-knit and buzzing with ideas. He experimented with different forms, gaining some notoriety as well as a name for himself among the critics. One of them, Henri Collet bracketed his name with five other French contemporaries, dubbing them Les Six.
In today's episode Donald Macleod considers what being part of this seemingly disparate group meant to Darius Milhaud, with works including an excerpt from the experimental studies for piano and orchestra, opus 63 and the miniature vocal work Catalogue des Fleurs. Alongside his increasing reputation as a composer, Milhaud developed a career as a soloist and it's for this role that he produced Le Carnaval d'Aix.
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Music Played
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Darius Milhaud
Polka from L'Eventail de Jeanne, Op.95 (1928)
Performer: Boaz Sharon (piano)
- Unicorn-Kanchana DKP CD 9155.
- 29.
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Darius Milhaud
Cinq Etudes for piano and orchestra op.63 (excerpt) (1920)
Performer: Michael Korstick (piano) Performer: SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern Performer: Alun Francis (conductor)
- CPO 777 162 2.
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Darius Milhaud
Catalogue de Fleurs (1920)
Performer: Ulrike Sonntag (soprano) Performer: Deborah Horowitz (conductor) Performer: Irmela Nolte (flute) Performer: Deborah Marshall (clarinet) Performer: Michael Weigel (bassoon) Performer: Renate Eggebrecht (violin) Performer: Stefan Berg (viola) Performer: Friedemann Kupsa (cello) Performer: Arpat György (bass)
- Troubadour Troc CD 01410.
- 12 to 18.
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Darius Milhaud
Le Carnaval d'Aix op. 83b
Performer: Michael Korstick (piano) Performer: SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern Performer: Alun Francis
- CPO777 162-2.
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Darius Milhaud
Suite (1936) op 157b
Performer: Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano Performer: Ensemble Incanto
- Arte Nova Classics 74321 72105 2.
- 1 to 4.
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Darius Milhaud
Satie, arr Milhaud
Performer: BBC Symphony Orchestra Performer: Darius Milhaud (conductor)
- BBC Radio Classics 1565691512.
- 1.
Broadcasts
- Wed 20 Oct 201012:00BBC Radio 3
- Wed 20 Oct 201022:00BBC Radio 3
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