26th Annual Student Research Conference
Milhaud's War -A discussion of the programmatic elements in Darius Milhaud's Suite Francaise
Dustin Palmer♦
Dr. Warren Gooch, Faculty Mentor
Throughout the history of music, composers have been interested in telling stories with their music. This is normally achieved by the use of a programmatic approach, or creating extra-musical elements in a work. Usually this is done with written program notes; inviting the listener to imagine a scene being created by the composer. In other instances, the composer provides the listener with only limited information, thus allowing the music itself to play a larger role in generating the narrative. Suite Francaise is a work that was composed by Darius Milhaud after being forced to emigrate to the United States during World War II. It was Milhauds intention to write a multi-movement work in which each movement represented a different region of his native country, France. As we examine the fourth movement, we can see how Milhaud uses the idea of creating a program to depict scenes of peacefulness, torment, and eventually, resolution in the face of a global conflict.
Keywords: Music, Music History, Wind Band, 20th Century , World War II, Program Music
Topic(s):Music
History
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 103-5
Location: OP 2117
Time: 9:00