OCTOBER, 1921 61

A Lecture On "The Six"

A Somewhat Critical Account of a Now Famous Group of French Musicians

By ERIK SATIE

Gentlemen Young Ladies second has its drawbacks. I will, if you will Auric, Francis Poulenc, Darius Milhaud.
. What a pleasure it is to speak to you permit me, use another procedure. I shall be As to the three remaining members of "The
1\DIES
* of my
young friends "The Six"! natural and simple. Six", Louis Durey, Arthur Honneger, Ger
They are young and yet I have an old maine Tailleferre, they are pure "impression
friendship for them. Possibly this is because, Six, through their aesthetic theories, ists". There is no harm in that. I, myself,
several years ago, I had the honour of, in some THE
belong to the New Spirit. But only a few thirty years ago, was terribly "impressionist".
of the Six not all of them. I shall explain
measure, presenting them to the public.
shared many happinesses with them.
I have
To this later.
What is the New Spirit? Guillaume Apolli-
...Modern sensibility was then "impressionist"'
it lived on impressions.
was a "humourist" . . . Now ...
Once, even, I
I
gether, we endured the attacks of the same ad
versaries; we received the support of the same naire has written: "The New Spirit shall have given it up. It is too ugly . . .
friends; we faced the same critics. dominate the world". And he adds: "The In life, one must be serious. I know nothing
All this is an agreeable bond, particularly New Spirit resides in Surprise. This is the else. Everything must be done seriously. If
for me. At my age, the friendship of young quality in it which is the newest and the most one is dull, one must be dull seriously.
people is a great help. alive. Surprise is the greatest new mainspring. Yes, one must preach, even if one preaches
It prevents the petrification, ossification, . . . It is through surprise that the New stupidly. Preaching is a duty. If it were not
mummifying of one's habits. for sermons, where would we be ?
I don't mind having the
habits but not cast-iron ones.
I RETURN

to my subject.
Fancy Spontaneity
I am very proud of find Daring these are the first things
YES,
ing myself in with "The we see in Auric in Milhaud
Six". in Poulenc.
They know I am fond of Preoccupation with academic
them. Therefore they keep me conventions with well estab
with them. They consider me a lished harmonic formulas this
kind of mascot, and this is is the lot chosen by Durey
rather curious, for I, who have Honneger Tailleferre.
never been a mascot to myself, They are free to make their
seem now to have become use choice.
ful to others. I have not the time to go into
It is well to reflect that it is all these differences between
others who judge us and not we "The Six" with you.
ourselves ; for the judgment that They are born of opposite
we pass on ourselves can never temperaments; they show you
be anything but a sort of check what a sympathetic and intelli
ing up or verification. Toward gent comradeship can accom
the success of "The Six", the plish can tolerate.
public, rather a small public, it Here we have a practical
is true, has contributed a good realization of honest free-think
deal. And the public com ing among artists among artists
posed, after all, of men like you who are really independent. It
and me is certainly not a is the quiet recognition of the
worse judge than the critics. Right of Expression for all.
Only it does not write in the The artist is free in his tastes
papers . . . that's all. I would never dare attack any
Evidently the critics judge us at least they
"THE SIX" one who did not think the way I do.
Five of "The Six" are hereshown photographedon the
tell us so but their opinion seems to me a Eiffel Tower. The sixth memberof this group, who Thought is property. No one has the right
mere accessory and a superfluity. However, I appearshere in place of Louis Durey, is Jean Cocteau, to touch it.
the poet, who has assisted"The Six" in arriving at the
thank them for their amiability, for their basisof the New Aesthetic. They are, from left to right, A Note on "The Six"
courtesy, for the profundity of their observa GermaineTailleferre, Francis Poulenc, Arthur Honneger,
tions, and for the acuteness of their vision, or Darius Milhaud, Jean Cocteau,and Georges Auric "Les Six" is a title once given to a group of
visions. young musicians embodying more or less the
The public, on the other hand, judges with Spirit is distinguished from all the artistic musical ideals of Erik Satie. They are still
out pre-judgments. It does not fear Imagina and literary movements that have preceded it" spoken of under this heading, in spite of the
tion. Its respect for old ideas is rather tem The New Spirit is the spirit of the time in fact that they have drifted in many directions.
perate. For, after all, an idea is not respectable which we live a time fertile in surprises. They are: Georges Auric, Darius Milhaud,
simply because it is old, very old. Just as all In short Apollinaire insists on surprise on Francis Poulenc, Arthur Honneger, Louis
old men are not necessarily worthy of venera the effect of surprise. Durey, Germaine Tailleferre. As far as the pub
tion. Things themselves follow this law; old It is certain that as far as surprises go lic is concerned, Milhaud is the most widely
wagons, old locomotives, old umbrellas and old the events of the last few years have proved to known. Monteux recently played a symphonic
hats aren't particularly sought after, even by be surprises, and rather original ones at that, work of his with the Boston Symphony Or
amateurs. surprises of all makes and at all prices. We chestra, and his fine ballet "Le boeuf sur le
live in a state of amazement. Toit", based on South American melodies, has
has willed it that a lecturer if For instance, in Paris a great discover)' has been produced both in London and Paris. He
CUSTOM
he wants to be taken seriously must him been made. Just think! Wagner has been is constantly played at Paris concerts his
self be very serious. discovered. This is a surprise. A little sur group of "Chansons Juifs" always command
Yes. prise. Very little. ing deep and respectful attention. Auric is
That is only fair. as powerful and as interesting, but a far
I am quite in agreement. me, the New Spirit seems a return to younger man, and writes with more difficulty.
There are several ways of being serious; TO classic form, with an admixture of modern Poulenc is the youngest of the group his
gravely ; boringly. sensibility. This modern sensibility you will piano music is exceedingly graceful and
The first may have its advantages. The discover in certain ones of the "Six" Georges charming and is played very frequently.