Andr Jolivet: Music, Art and Literature

This first book in English on the French composer Andr Jolivet (19051974) investigates his music, life and influence. A pupil of Varse and colleague of Messiaen in La Jeune France, Jolivet is a major figure in French music of the twentieth century. His music combines innovative language with spirituality, summarised in his self-declared axiom to restore musics ancient original meaning when it was the magic and incantatory expression of the sacred in human communities. The books contextual introduction is followed by contributions, edited by Caroline Rae, from leading international scholars including the composers daughter Christine Jolivet-Erlih. These assess Jolivets output and activities from the 1920s through to his last works, exploring creative process, aesthetic, his relationship with the exotic and influences from literature. They also examine, for the first time, the significance of Jolivets involvement with the visual arts and his activities as conductor, teacher and critic. A chronology of Jolivets life and works with details of first performances provides valuable overview and reference. This fascinating and comprehensive volume is an indispensable source for research into French music and culture of the twentieth century.