Jolivet, André (EN)

Jolivet André, *8 August 1905 Paris, †20 December 1974 Paris, French composer. He was born into a family with artistic ambitions – his mother and her sister played the piano, and his father was a painter. He grew up in an atmosphere of cult for art: poetry, literature, theatre, painting and music. Initially, his mother, Hilda, gave him piano lessons. At 13, Jolivet composed his first piece, Romance barbare, to his own text, and two years later, he designed a ballet for his home puppet theatre, for which he wrote the music and script, and designed the sets and costumes. In 1919–20, he studied cello with L. Feuillard and took painting lessons with the cubist painter G. Valmier (a friend of Milhaud and Honegger). In 1921–24, Jolivet studied organ playing and improvisation and musical analysis with Théodas (director of music at the Chapelle de Notre-Dame de Clignancourt). He graduated in literature from the Ecole Normale. He began working as a teacher in Parisian schools in 1927. He studied harmony, counterpoint, fugue, and classical forms with P. Le Flem (A. Roussel’s successor at the Schola Cantorum) in 1927–33; Le Flem also drew Jolivet’s attention to A. Schoenberg’s texts published in France, which were presented more widely in Paris in 1927 at three concerts. During this time, Jolivet met A. Roussel and F. Schmitt and became friends with A. Artaud; he also met E. Varèse, with whom he studied composition, orchestration, and acoustics in 1930–33, remaining influenced by the metaphysical, symbolic, and esoteric concepts of the author of Amériques. Jolivet’s String Quartet was critically received by the audience, but it gained the approval of O. Messiaen, who, as a member of the Société Nationale’s repertoire committee, voted in favour of performing the piece. Messiaen’s meeting with Jolivet was the beginning of a deep friendship that united the two composers for many years. In 1935, Jolivet founded a new avant-garde association at the Schola Cantorum, La Spirale, to promote French chamber music; G. Migot, O. Messiaen, D. Lesur and N. Lejeune joined it. On 12 December 1935, N. Destouches performed Jolivet’s piano cycle Mana at a concert of the association La Spirale (first performance), a piece whose edition Messiaen had provided an introduction to. In 1936, Jolivet, together with Messiaen and Lesur, joined the group of composers La Jeune France, founded by Y. Baudrier. The group’s goal was to renew the humanistic French music, to oppose neoclassical tendencies and to promote works written in the spirit of “sincerity, directness and artistic awareness.” On 3 June 1936, at the inaugural concert of Young France, Danse incantatoire for two ondes Martenot and orchestra was performed. Jolivet participated in this active and most significant group in the musical life of France at that time; he headed the music section of the literary and artistic magazine “Nouvelle Saison.” Gradually, his most important works (Cinq incantations, Cinq danses rituelles, Cosmogonie) were performed at the Société Nationale, at the Concerts du Montparnasse and organised by the “Revue Musicale,” and Jolivet gained the reputation of a recognised avant-garde composer. The activities of Young France were interrupted by the outbreak of war. In September 1939, Jolivet was mobilised and sent to Fontainebleau, and after being awarded the Cross of Valour, he was demobilised in 1940 in the Haute Vienne department, where he composed the Mass said for the Day of Peace. In the same year, he wrote Les trois complaintes du soldat, and in 1942, the Liturgical Suite. In 1943, he conducted a performance of A. Honegger’s music for P. Claudel’s play Le soulier de satin at the Comédie Française in Paris, and also worked on a book about Beethoven. From 1945 to 1959, he was the music director of the Comédie Française; during that time, he wrote music for many plays performed at that theatre. In 1948, he conducted and gave lectures on his work in Vienna and Budapest, and in 1950 in Spain and Egypt. Thanks to G. Duhamel, he received a scholarship from the Association pour la Diffusion de la Pensée Française, which enabled him to devote himself exclusively to his work. In the late 1940s, he wrote eight concertos for solo instruments, which entered the repertoire of orchestras in France and other European countries. In 1951, the Piano Concerto was premiered at the Strasbourg Festival, and the composer received the Grand Prix of Paris. In 1954, Jolivet went on a musical tour to the USSR and received the Grand Prix International de la Musique. In 1956, he conducted the premiere of the oratorio La vérité de Jeanne at the Domrémy Festival. In 1959, he founded the Centre Française d’Humanisme Musical in Aix-en-Provence, and in 1960, he travelled to the United States to conduct his Symphony No. 2. That same year, the opera Dolorès ou le miracle de la femme laide premiered in Lyon. In 1959–62, Jolivet served as an advisor to the Directions Général des Arts et Lettres. In 1966–70, he was professor of composition at the Paris Conservatory. In 1963, he was appointed president of the Concerts Lamoureux society, and was also honorary president of the Syndicat des Musiciens de France, and served on many juries. Jolivet conducted and presented his works in England, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia and Switzerland, as well as in Mexico, Lebanon and Japan. He received the Grand Prix du Président de la République twice (1968, 1973) and the Grand Prix du Disque ten times (1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969 and posthumously in 1975). He died suddenly of an influenza infection while well into work on his second opera, Le lieutenant perdu. Jolivet’s compositional legacy is looked after by his wife, Hilda Jolivet, author of books about her husband’s work and life, as well as E. Varèse, and by the Société des Amis d’André Jolivet, established in 1975 to promote Jolivet’s ideas and music.

The phenomenon of Jolivet’s art was born from the opposition of the personalities of two teachers who had shaped his creative temperament early on. From P. Le Flem, Jolivet received the discipline of the classical métier of a composer, developed in the studies of the great classics (Palestrina, de Victoria, Bach, Beethoven). The extremely radical aesthetics of E. Varèse made Jolivet aware of his own vocation as a searching composer, to which he remained faithful to the end. Varèse made Jolivet aware of the need to abandon tonality, aroused in him an interest in sound matter and a desire to use material not used in European music (e.g. sounds of industrial civilisation); he pushed Jolivet towards renewing the form through the transmutation of the cells of sound, dynamics and rhythm. The circle of influences should be supplemented with Schönberg (elimination of tonality), Berg (melodics, lyricism) and Bartók (universal style based on folklore).

Jolivet formulated the foundations of his own musical poetics in 1935, declaring that his task as a composer was to “give music an original ancient meaning, when music was a magical and incantatory expression of the religious beliefs of human groups.” This refers to ancient or primitive societies, where the very concept of music was inextricably linked to the concept of magic and religion. Moreover, Jolivet confessed: “I am becoming increasingly convinced that the mission of musical art is a humanitarian and religious mission (in the sense of re-ligare).” This position of Jolivet, which places him among composers with a religious face in 20^th-century music, is not limited to connections with the Christian religion (both masses, the Liturgical Suite), but is a manifestation of the extension of the concept of sacrality to the beliefs of pagan primitive and exotic peoples. Jolivet’s views distinguished him from the position of Father Messiaen, who was inextricably linked to the Catholic cult. For Jolivet, art is “a way of expressing a vision of the world through faith” and is not a game or entertainment but a “vital, cosmic necessity” that requires a committed attitude. It is an image of the struggle inherited from our ancestors between the spiritual and the material. In this conflict, music, and in particular “human song,” plays a fundamental role, starting with spells the magical and primitive incantations.

Jolivet’s ideological stance found expression in compositions from 1934–39 (String Quartet, Mana, Cinq incantations, Cosmogonie, Cinq danses rituelles). The most characteristic of this early period of Jolivet’s work is the suite of six piano pieces Mana, which, in the composer’s own words, is “a condensed memory of Varèse.” After Varèse left for the United States, Jolivet placed on his piano mascots received from his teacher: an exotic bird, a Balinese statuette, a moving sculpture – Calder’s mobile. These objects brought the composer inspiration, radiating mysterious fluids. Mana is “the force that extends us to our domestic fetishes.” A cyclical form referring to the tradition of the French suite was created, atonal, strongly rhythmic, with great incantatory power. Jolivet’s Mana, a synthesis of esoteric, incantatory and magical aspects, referring to oriental music and primitive peoples, is a return to the sought-after sources of music. During this period, Jolivet tried to free his musical language from the tonal system, but not by adopting the 12-tone system (which he considered an artificial system in relation to the basic phenomena of harmonic resonance), but by enriching the tonal system with sounds obtained from overtones, especially those more distant. Such enrichment of the harmonics also allows new ways of modulation, the use of double bass (composed of two different sounds selected in a way that their further overtones are identical and, through summing, reinforce each other) and a special way of stimulating resonance, consisting in the selection of a series of harmonic tones of a sound and only in the next consonance giving their basic sound. The phenomenon of natural harmony formulated by N. Gallon is the basis of the compositional technique of both Jolivet and Messiaen. Jolivet transcended tonal boundaries precisely in order to respect the laws of natural resonance better, thanks to which music, an art practised by man, can “enter” the cosmic order. According to Jolivet, “music should be a manifestation of sound, in direct relation to the universal cosmic system.”

Jolivet rejects the traditional harmonic four-part, putting the dynamics of sound in the foreground, which he sharpens by using the “transmutation of sound masses” and defining the “direction of sound projection.” The transmutation of sound mass is “the manipulation of sudden changes in the volume of sound (dynamics, timbre) obtained by adding harmonic elements built on component tones to the melodic line,” it is “the ‘ionization’ of the harmonic fluid produced by the melody itself, the first element of music.” According to Jolivet, the direction of sound projection is “a sound phenomenon of a Dionysian character, first noticed in Beethoven’s music.” Jolivet’s understanding of rhythm is also broader and similar to Messiaen’s: “it does not consist only in the repetition of metric formulas, but is determined by the phases and intensity of the flow of sound.” All these technical procedures and the direction of search should be based on feeling. One should not indulge in empty virtuosity or cause excessive complexity and intricacy of texture. This false track would distance music from expressing its essence, which can be expressed through singing; all technical achievements should remain in the service of melodic expression, the carrier of the emotional content of music and the element defining – according to Jolivet – the authenticity of the work of art. The composer’s task is therefore to apply musical technique based on natural harmony to modal language, with reference to centuries-old French tradition and forms of vocal music. The symbolic and esoteric aspect, which is the essence of every work of art, cannot consist in externalisation, but in leaving them hidden and giving them the rank of the hidden structure of the work, which will strengthen its expression and message. The experiences of World War II caused the composer’s internal breakdown and a breakthrough in his poetics. The composer, posing the problem of the relationship between the work of art and man, considers the role of creative searches towards the recipient. He comes to the conclusion that the strangeness and complexity of texture distances music from man and his primary expression, which is singing. From then on, he replaces avant-garde means with modal harmony, regulated rhythm, and more traditional sound. He creates a simplified and transparent language addressed directly to listeners. This is a “return to man,” to the sources of lyricism and interpersonal community. In the Declaration (from 1965), he stated that “music is above all an act of spiritual connection, communion […] between the composer and nature at the moment of the creative act, and then the connection between the composer and the audience at the moment of the performance of the work. […] It seems unacceptable for a musical work to live its own life outside of its recipients because it gains meaning only through the sensitivity of those who are able to receive it.”

This second period of creativity (1940–45) opens with Three Complaints of a Soldier. This piece, an expression of disappointment connected with participation in the war, is a breakthrough in Jolivet’s creativity, a departure from the language and technical means of new music in favour of a simplification of texture and expression. Two suites follow: Liturgical Suite – a profound prayer with a crystal-clear, illuminated chamber texture – realising the idea of ​​spiritual connection of being with the world, postulated already in Incantations for solo flute; Delphic Suite for ondes Martenot with ensemble evoking the Orphic myth, the eternal struggle of darkness with the power of God, the benefactor. The first stage pieces are also created: a ballet (Guignol og Pandora) and an opera buffa (Dolorès).

Jolivet’s attitude towards Messiaen and the intertwining of the creative destinies of both composers are significant. It seems that initially Messiaen, although he already had mature artistic achievements (Nativité, Poèms Poèmes pour Mi), was influenced by Jolivet’s more radical approach. Their joint activity in the La Jeune France group brought the two composers closer together without blurring the differences in their creative approaches. The greatest convergence took place in the years 1940–45: Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps and Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus correspond ideologically to Jolivet’s religious works and the Liturgical Suite, although these are works that are completely different in terms of technique. In the mid-1940s, the paths of the two composers diverge. Jolivet gives up writing religious music and begins to create concertante music, stylistically diverse (from incantatory to neoclassical style), emphasising the development of the sonoristic and concertante factor, while Messiaen enters a period of fascination with the Tristan myth.

The third period of Jolivet’s work begins in 1945, synthesising both previous ones; the composer seeks a balance between the magical and the real (cosmic and human), between boldness of expression and clarity of message. This period opened in 1945 with the Piano Sonata and was marked by great symphonic, vocal-instrumental works and eight concertos for various solo instruments. The Sonata, composed in homage to Bartók, anticipates the Piano Concerto thanks to the dynamics of rhythm, rich piano texture, oriental melodies and percussive use of the piano. In this piece, Jolivet aimed to achieve a synthesis of European traditions and primitive peoples (Africa, the Far East, Polynesia).

Jolivet, alongside Messiaen, belongs to the group of composers who were most interested in the creation of a new instrument – ​​ondes Martenot. Since 1934, Jolivet experimented a lot, exploring its expressive possibilities. He used the original sound quality of ondes Martenot in rendering incantatory music (Trois poèmes, Incantation “Pour que l’image devienne symbole”); he masterfully used this instrument in the Concerto for ondes Martenot, using it not in a decorative way and not only for an astonishing sound effect, but treating it as a discreet expressor of the spiritual aura. It is a paradox that the composer considered the electronic instrument to be the “personification of the human soul,” contrasting it with the “materialistic forces” contained in the very dynamic, aggressive orchestral part. The return to the exposure of the human voice, of which E Épithalame and La vérité de Jeanne are a particular example, has symbolic value in Jolivet’s work. E Épithalame (a picture of the fate of a couple from their meeting to the triumph of love) to the composer’s words based on sacred texts from the Far East, Egypt and the Bible, is a vocal symphony for twelve voices a cappella treated instrumentally. The oratorio La vérité de Jeanne represents great dramatic frescoes (together with Honegger’s Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher); it is characterised by noble simplicity, lyricism, mysticism and folk poetry. The performance of the oratorio in 1956 at the festival in Domrémy (Joan of Arc’s hometown) on the 500^th anniversary of Joan’s rehabilitation process, conducted by the composer, was one of his greatest successes.

Jolivet’s ideological programme and its consistent implementation in his work explain the composer’s isolation in contemporary French music. Apart from his affiliation with Young France, of which he was one of the most important exponents and animators, Jolivet remained constantly in solitude. Despite his radical position, he never became convinced that the music of the future would be experimental music, so art was for him the fulfilment of ideas, not a field of theoretical research. In Jolivet’s poetics, aesthetic and technical problems give way to the ethical moment of creation. And it is precisely this combination of bold exploration with concern for the “human moment” that is one of the highest values ​​of his art. The ethical aspect is characteristic of Jolivet’s ideological and artistic attitude because the composer was concerned with the problem of the relationship between man and music, and not only with the problems of choosing a musical language. Occupying a position among the outstanding creators of the 20^th century, in the face of the crisis of art, Jolivet strove to revive music by returning to its sources.

Literature: André Jolivet. Catalogue des oeuvres, Paris 1969; H. Jolivet, Avec André Jolivet, Paris 1978; André Jolivet, guide des oeuvres, l’Association des amis d’André Jolivet, Paris 2006; G. Dandelot, Société Nationalee. André Jolivet, “Le Monde Musical” 1934, no. 134; F. Goldbeck, André Jolivet ‘Mana,’ “La Revue Musicale” 1936, no. 161; S. Moreux, Genèse d’un renouveau musical d’André Jolivet, “La Revue Musicale” 1937, no. 171; La Jeune France, “La Revue InterNationalee de Musique” October–November 1938 (contains a catalogue of Jolivet’s works); G.-B. Delapierre, Les danses rituelles d’André Jolivet, “Confluences” December 1945; O. Messiaen, Introduction au ‘Mana’ d’André Jolivet, Paris 1946; G. Michel, André Jolivet. Essai sur un système esthétique musical, “La Revue Musicale” 1947, no. 204; S. Moreux, ‘Psyché’ d’André Jolivet, “Psyché” 1947, no. 8; C. Rostand, André Jolivet, “La Table Ronde” 1951, no. 44, 1952, no. 49; M. Beaufils, Le concerto pour piano d’André Jolivet, “La Musique Contemporaine” 1952, no. 2–3; B. Skalsky, André Jolivet, “Musical America” June 1952; C. Rostand, La musique française contemporaine, Paris 1952, 1971; R. Bezombes L’exotisme dans l’art et la pensée, introduction P. Valéry, Paris 1953; M. Beaufils, André Jolivet, “Musica” October 1954; J.-J. Brothier, La ‘Jeune France,’ Paris 1955; R. Palester Skrypt audycji radiowej Rozgłośni Radia Wolna Europa [about A. Jolivet], Munich 1955; S. Jarociński, Główne tendencje estetyczne w muzyce XX w., “Muzyka” 1956, no. 3; B. Gavoty, D. Lesur, Pour ou contre la musique moderne? (André Jolivet), Paris 1957 (contains a statement by André Jolivet); Dom A. Surchamp, Jolivet ou la musique nécessaire, “Zodiaque” 1957, no. 33 (special issue devoted to André Jolivet, contains also articles by J. Hamon, H. Jolivet and André Jolivet – cf. works); C. de Nys, H. Jolivet, G. Michel, La vérité de Jeanne, “La Revue Musicale” 1957, no. 237; S. Demarquez, André Jolivet, Paris 1958; J. Chantavoine, C. Rostand, Le concerto pour piano d’André Jolivet, in: Petit guide de l’auditeur de musique, Paris 1958; P. Le Flem, André Jolivet, “Musica” December 1959; G. Beck, La deuxième Symphonie d’André Jolivet, “Le Guide du Concert” from 18 November 1960; D. Bourdet, Visage d’aujourd’hui, Paris 1960; J. Ekiert, Kosmogonia André Joliveta, “Ruch Muzyczny” 1961, no. 9; J. Roy, André Jolivet, in: Musique française. Présences contemporaines, Paris 1962; P. Bousseau, H. Jolivet Varèse, introduction B. Gavoty, Paris 1973; Hommage à André Jolivet, “Scherzo. Guide Musical” 1977, no. 60; H. Jolivet Avec André Jolivet, introduction M. Schumann, Paris 1978; S. Gut, Le groupe Jeune France. Y. Baudrier, D. Lesur, André Jolivet, O. Messiaen, Paris 1977; Portrait(s) d’André Jolivet, Exposition de la Bibliothèque nationale de France, L. Kayas, Paris 2005; E. Mizerska, Twórczość fletowa André Joliveta jako odzwieciedlenie nowatorskich poszukiwań i poglądów estetycznych kompozytora, ed. P. Drobnik, Poznań 2016.