(1867-1950)
1: Le Voyage Chimérique (The Imaginary Journey)
Only a small fraction of Koechlin's huge and wide-ranging output is known at all, let alone in Britain, and it is notoriously hard to pigeonhole him. But he was admired by just about every other French composer, from Debussy and Ravel to
Messiaen. This week's programmes set out on a voyage of discovery. including a daily world premiere from the set of 89 piano pieces called The Portrait of Daisy Hamilton and a clutch of first UK performances and broadcasts. Today, a whistle-stop tour through the bewildering variety of Koechlin's inspirations (everything from Bach to films and film stars), the first UK performance of the Hymne au Soleil, and the earliest work in his cycle of five after
Kipling's Jungle Book. Presented by Jonathan Swain , with contributions from Koechlin expert Robert Oriedge. Producer David Gallagher
Repeated next Monday 11.30pm