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Lecture

Patrick Bade
Darius Milhaud: The Happy Life of a Jewish Composer

Sunday 1.05.2022

Summary

Patrick Bade discusses French composer Darius Milhaud (1892–1974), highlighting his resilience in the face of challenges like rheumatoid arthritis and family loss during the Holocaust. With over 450 opus numbers, Patrick explores Milhaud’s Jewish identity’s influence on his compositions, including liturgical works and pieces inspired by Brazilian music. Highlights include his connections with artistic figures like Jean Cocteau and Les Six, and collaborations with Picasso, Braque, and Chagall underscoring his significant role in the vibrant Parisian artistic scene between the wars.

Patrick Bade

An image of Patrick Bade.

Patrick Bade is a historian, writer, and broadcaster. He studied at UCL and the Courtauld Institute of Art. He was a senior lecturer at Christie’s Education for many years and has worked for the Art Fund, Royal Opera House, National Gallery, and V&A. He has published on 19th- and early 20th-century paintings and historical vocal recordings. His latest book is Music Wars: 1937–1945.

Yes, I think that’s probably the way around, because Gershwin came to Paris. I’m quite sure they met when Gershwin came to Paris in the 1920s. At that point Milhaud was everywhere and very, very influential.