Milhaud creation of the world program notes

Lifting darkness and creation of trees, plants, insects, birds and beasts: jazzy solos for flute, oboe, and horn. Life and the making of it is an exhilarating and delicate process.

The kiss: a beautiful conclusion, introduced quietly by oboe, a bit of excitement, followed by softly fluttering flutes with a tender goodbye from the saxophone. You must be logged in to post a comment. Menu ConcertStream. Composed: In the early s, while much of the American artistic community dismissed jazz as unworthy of being taken seriously, the European establishment began to see America as an international trendsetter in the field.

Following World War I, European composers, including Paul Hindemith and Igor Stravinsky, began to incorporate jazz patterns into their new works, and jazz began to be recognized as a valid and particularly exciting new form. Among the most exciting of the composers to use the new form was the Frenchman, Darius Milhaud.

Milhaud was among the most prolific of contemporary composers, with a catalog of more than works. He first heard real jazz in London in and then in New York in He listened to all he could, trying to absorb and analyze the sounds. He was determined to use what he had heard as a basis for his chamber music. Rather, it tries to be a piece written using classical forms such as fugue inspired on a deep level by the rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic vitality of jazz.

What we get is an irrepressible and slightly odd hybrid with occasionally so much going on it can feel a bit like Thanksgiving dinner with five family members talking over one another at the same time. But in a cool sort of way. The final word goes to jazz great Dave Brubeck who studied under Milhaud.

Brubeck: [Milhaud] was one of the few great accepted classical composers that absolutely liked and accepted jazz. Bernstein recorded it, and said, "It's still the best piece that's ever combined classical and jazz. Interviewer: Is it true that you came to him really wanting to become a classical composer, and he kind of turned that on its head and encouraged you to become a jazz musician who incorporated a classical approach?

Brubeck: He said, "Why would you want to give up jazz, something you do so well and become a classical composer? Keep your jazz, and bring it into your classical music that you write.