Andre Jolivet :

Abstract

The study contains three chapters. The first chapter includes biographical data, a discussion of Jolivet's association with the group "Jeune France, " and a delineation of his music into three creative periods. Chapter II deals with the principles of Jolivet's technique and is divided into three sections. Section one contains a translation and clarification of the following Jolivet principles: la double basse, resonance inferieure, transmutations de la masse sonore, sens de projection du son, and les phases et les intensites du flux sonore. Section two deals with Jolivet's original blend of atonality, modality, and serial techniques, and section three defines the concept of "magic and incantation" in terms of specific melodic and rhythmic formulas used in Jolivet's music. Chapter III presents an overview of Jolivet's complete piano works in chronological order. Unpublished works are categorized, dated, and briefly discussed. The published works are discussed individually under the heading of separate creative periods. Historical notes, critical reviews, and details of premiere performances are presented along with numerous examples which often reinforce the technical principles discussed in Chapter II.

The purpose of this study is to contribute to a greater knowledge of the piano music of Andre Jolivet, to disseminate resource data on the composer's life, and to provide insight into his aesthetic and technical approaches to music. Several major sources were translated from the original French for the purpose of this study, and several interviews were conducted with members of Jolivet's family and professional associates in France.

The complete catalogue of Andre Jolivet's piano music includes fourteen published and five unpublished piano scores. The piano works span five decades of creative metamorphosis and provide a synoptic view of the composer's unique style of writing. The originality of Jolivet's technical and aesthetic approach to music distinguishes him as one of the strongest creative forces in French music of the 20th century. Although Jolivet's music is well known in France, little information about the composer is available in the English language.