Milhaud: Sonate for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet and Piano

Code: JP5067
ISMN: 979-0-3019-0511-1

Darius Milhaud lived from 1892-1974. In 1917, the poet Paul Claudel was appointed the French Ambassador to Brazil. He had previously worked with Milhaud as his lyricist. Claudel convinced Milhaud to go with him to Brazil as a member of his ambassadorial staff. When they arrived, it was the height of the carnival season and Milhaud was immediately immersed in the folk tunes and harmonies of Brazil. He stayed in Brazil until the end of 1918 and wrote this quartet during that time. At the time, Milhaud was also experimenting with dissonance and polytonality. However he never erected polytonality into a system. It was more a question of color, adding a characteristic tang to the melodic and contrapuntal facility. Like many French musicians of his generation, he rejected Wagner and Brahms, but he accepted Mahler and Strauss. Schoenberg, whom he admired greatly, was a friend of many years standing.

This edition, edited by John Anderson, has corrected several errors, including incorrectly notated rhythmns and pitches as well as inconsistencies of articulations and dynamics between the piano score and the individual instrument parts, that are found in the original publication.