Versatile in the arts, André Jolivet was a pupil of Le Flem and later of Varèse, and was, with Olivier Messiaen, Daniel Lesur and Yves Baudrier, a member of the composers grouped together as Jeune France. As director of music for the Comédie française he wrote a quantity of incidental music and elsewhere based his work on principles that stemmed from his interest in the magical and incantatory element fundamental to human music.

Orchestral Music

Jolivet wrote a number of concertos, all demanding considerable virtuosity from the soloist. These include a Concerto for the ondes martenot (an electronic instrument developed in France in the 1920s) and concertos for trumpet and piano, for flute, for piano, for harp, for bassoon and harp, for percussion, for cello and for violin.

Stage Works

In addition to his varied incidental music, whether for Molière, Claudel, Corneille or Plautus, Jolivet wrote music for the ballet and for marionette plays.

Solo Instrumental and Chamber Music

Jolivet made an early impression on Messiaen with the six piano pieces that constitute Mana. Chamber music includes pieces involving the flute, an instrument he particularly favoured for its primitive human associations.