Koechlin, Charles (
b Paris, 1867;
d le Canadel, Var, 1950). Fr. composer. Wrote large amount of mus., much of it still rarely heard. Followed no ‘school’ or fashion, his music being influenced both by medieval procedures and by Satie, Stravinsky, etc. Bitonality and near-atonality feature in his works, some of which are marked by complex polyphony. Wrote several symphonic poems based on Kipling. One of founders, 1909, of Société Musicale Indépendante. Author of treatises, and of books on Debussy and Fauré. Prin. works:THEATRE:
Jacob chez Laban (1-act ‘biblical pastorale’) (1896–1908);
La Forêt païenne (ballet) (1911–25).ORCH.:
7 Stars Symphony (on characters of film stars) (1933);
Symphony of Hymns (1936); sym. No.2 (1943–4);
3 Poèmes, after Kipling (1899–1910);
La Course de printemps, after Kipling (1925–7);
La Loi de la jungle, after Kipling (1939);
Les Bandar-Log, after Kipling (1939–40);
Le Buisson ardent (1938, 1945);
La Forêt (1897–1907);
Partita for chamber orch. (1945).CHAMBER MUSIC: 3 str. qts. (1911–13, 1915–16, 1921); fl. sonata (1913); va. sonata (1906–15); ob. sonata (1911–16); vn. sonata (1916); vc. sonata (1917); bn. sonata (1919); hn. sonata (1918–25); 2 cl. sonatas (1923); wind trio (1924);
Primavera for fl., vn., va., vc., hp. (1936); septet for wind quintet, ca, alto sax. (1937);
Epitaphe de Jean Harlow, fl., alto sax., pf. (1937).PIANO:
Paysages et marines (
c.1916);
L'Ancienne Maison de campagne (1932–3).
