Honegger, Arthur

Honegger, Arthur
born March 10, 1892, Le Havre, France
died Nov. 27, 1955, Paris

French composer.

Born to Swiss-French parents, he studied in Zürich, then at the Paris Conservatory. One of the group known as Les Six, though not truly in sympathy with its aims, he first gained international renown for his oratorio Le Roi David (1921). His exciting orchestral piece Pacific 231 (1923), portraying a locomotive, caused a sensation. Prolific throughout his life, he composed five symphonies (including Symphony No. 3 known as Liturgique, for the end of World War II), the oratorio Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher (1938), and numerous scores for ballet, theatre, and films (including Abel Gance's Napoleon).

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▪ French composer
born March 10, 1892, Le Havre, France
died Nov. 27, 1955, Paris

      composer associated with the modern movement in French music in the first half of the 20th century.

      Born of Swiss parents, Honegger spent most of his life in France. He studied at the Zürich Conservatory and after 1912 at the Paris Conservatory. After World War I he was associated with Les Six, a group of young composers that also included Georges Auric, Germaine Tailleferre, Francis Poulenc, Darius Milhaud, and Louis Durey. Honegger soon asserted his own strong personality in the “dramatic psalm” Le Roi David (1921; “The King David”). Two successful orchestral works followed: Pacific 231 (1924), an impression of a locomotive in action, and Rugby (1928), which reflected the composer's love of speed and virile sports. Also from this period was the Pastorale d'été (1921; “Summer Pastoral”) for chamber orchestra. Much—but not all—of his music from the 1920s is rhythmic, dissonant, and austere and shows great freedom in the treatment of tonality. Polytonality sometimes occurs. With his dramatic oratorios Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher (“Joan of Arc at the Stake”) and La Danse des morts (“The Dance of the Dead”), both on texts by Paul Claudel, he turned toward the mysticism and religious meaning that underlie many of his later works.

      Honegger was a prolific composer and made notable contributions to opera (Judith, 1926; Antigone, 1927; Amphion, 1931), ballet (Skating Rink, 1922; Sémiramis, 1934), choral music (oratorios, including Cantique des cantiques, 1938), and orchestral music (five symphonies, symphonic poems, symphonic movements). His chamber music includes three string quartets and sonatas for violin, viola, and cello. He also composed the music for several films, including La Roue (1922; “The Wheel”), Pygmalion (1938), and Cavalcade d'amour (1939). Honegger's music is written in a bold and uninhibited musical idiom that combines the harmonic innovations of the French avant-garde with the large forms and massed sonorities of the German tradition. He published an autobiography, Je suis compositeur (I Am a Composer), in 1951.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Honegger, Arthur — (1892 1955)    composer    Born in Le Havre of swiss parentage, Arthur Honegger, who is regarded as one of the most important French composers of the early 20th century, began his musical career as an impressionist and gradually evolved a… …   France. A reference guide from Renaissance to the Present

  • Honegger, Arthur — (10 March 1892, Le Havre – 27 November 1955, Paris)    One of Les Six, a group of composers who included Darius Milhaud and Arthur Honegger, he is noted for his five oratorios, particularly Le Roi David ( King David, 1921), his most frequently… …   Historical dictionary of sacred music

  • Honegger,Arthur — Hon·eg·ger (hŏnʹĭ gər, hōʹnĕg ər, ô nĕ gĕrʹ), Arthur. 1892 1955. French born Swiss composer. A proponent of the modern movement in French music, he is remembered for a number of compositions, including Pacific 231 (1923). * * * …   Universalium

  • Honegger, Arthur — (n. 10 mar. 1892, La Haya, Francia–27 nov. 1955, París). Compositor francés. Nacido de padres suizo franceses, estudió en Zürich y luego en el conservatorio de París. Fue uno de los integrantes del llamado Les Six, aunque no simpatizaba realmente …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Arthur honneger — Arthur Honegger Pour les articles homonymes, voir Honegger. Arthur Honegger …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Arthur Honegger — Honegger on the 1996 Swiss 20 franc note. Arthur Honegger (pronounced [aʁ.tyʁ ɔ.nɛ.gɛːʁ]; 10 March 1892 – 27 November 1955) was a Swiss composer, who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. He was a member of Les six. His… …   Wikipedia

  • Arthur Honegger (Schriftsteller) — Arthur Honegger (* 27. September 1924 in St. Gallen) ist ein Schweizer Journalist, Schriftsteller und Politiker. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben 2 Auszeichnungen 3 Werke …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Honegger — (Arthur) (1892 1955) compositeur suisse; l un des fondateurs du groupe des Six. Abordant tous les genres (mélodies, sonates, concertos, quatuors à cordes, etc.), il excella surtout dans la musique symphonique: Pacific 231 (1923), Rugby (1928), Di …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Arthur Honegger — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Honegger. Arthur Honegger …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Arthur — /ahr theuhr/, n. 1. Chester Alan, 1830 86, 21st president of the U.S. 1881 85. 2. legendary king in ancient Britain: leader of the Knights of the Round Table. 3. a male given name. * * * (as used in expressions) Port Arthur Adamov Arthur Arthur s …   Universalium

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