Les Six: The French Composers and Their Mentors Jean Cocteau and Erik Satie

by Robert Shapiro (Editor)

The absorbing, comprehensive story of an absolutely unique experiment in classical music, involving many key figures of the Dada and Surrealist movements Les Six were a group of talented composers who came together in a unique collaboration that has never been matched in classical music, and here their remarkable story is told for the first time. A musical experiment originally conceived by Erik Satie and then built upon by Jean Cocteau, Les Six were also born out of the shock of the German invasion of France in 1914—an avant-garde riposte to German romanticism and Wagnerism. Les Six were all—and still are—respected in music circles, but under the aegis of Cocteau, they found themselves moving among a whole new the likes of Picasso, René Clair, Blaise Cendrars, and Maurice Chevalier all appear in the story. But the story of Les Six goes on long after the heyday of Bohemian Paris—the group never officially disbanded and it was only in the last 20 years that the last member died; moreover, their spouses, descendents, and associates are still active, ensuring that the remarkable legacy of this unique group survives.

776 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2014

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who doesn't read, perform, or compose classical music, much of the technical language was miles above my head. Still, some wonderful biographical information and anecdotes if you are looking to learn more about the era.

[Michelle O'Healy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erik Satie is one of my favorite composers, and reading this book gave me a picture of the expressionist era that post dated the impressionists, as well as the creation of a particularly "french" sound in a post world war environment. If you have an interest in classical music, I would describe this as riveting.