This week’s installment in our French composers’ names series is another member of Les Six: Darius Milhaud. I remember, as a teenager, being puzzled by the spelling of his last name: the -lh- combination is very rare in French and somehow reminiscent of Brazilian spelling (did he have to compose his Saudades do Brasil (1920-1921) to confuse me even more?!). Anyway. His last name is really easy to pronounce for English speakers: ME-Yo!
[audio:http://icareifyoulisten.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/ICIYL-Darius-Milhaud.mp3] Link to MP3 – Darius Milhaud | Get Darius Milhaud scores!Here is a video of Milhaud’s Sonata for 2 violins and piano, Op.15 (excerpt) by Angela and Jennifer Chun.
Did you know that Milhaud had Philip Glass and Steve Reich as students? Was then American Minimalism influenced by Les Six?!? Just kidding… What is your favorite Milhaud piece?
Check out the entire French Composers’ Names series or suggest one we haven’t covered on Twitter at @icareifulisten.
