WHILE THE talents of several members of the Six matured
under Erik Satie's paternal eye, a younger generation paid
homage to the composer of Socrate by founding a new group--
the so-called Arcueil School. Henri Sauguet, Roger Désormière,
Henri Cliquet-Pleyel, and Maxime Jacob were not really Satie's
pupils and there was really no school. But they were inspired by
the Master of Arcueil's example, by his honesty, his modesty,
the freedom of his music. Désormière became an outstanding con-
ductor, putting his talent in the service of his contemporaries.
Jacob entered the priesthood. Sauguet alone found himself suf-
ficiently gifted to build a work meriting lasting attention.

HENRI SAUGUET, born in Bordeaux in 1901, arrived on the
scene after the period of rhythmic and harmonic discoveries.
He is not an innovator. His melodic invention moves in a tem-
perate climate. His acute sensitivity is warm and sometimes
profound, and he has no fear of impassioned outbursts which,
handled with a sense of measure and taste, elevate his best
compositions to true greatness. There is nothing spasmodic or
fitful in his expression of feeling, even in the most dramatic
moments. As with Poulenc, his instrumental compositions are
less forceful than his vocal works. Sauguet is a lyricist: he needs
a poetic text to guide his muse. His melodies unroll in long
curves, original and perfect in design, and carry almost all of the
expression. Simple harmony is all that they need for support.
Any emphasis or commentary would be superfluous. But simplic-
ity is difficult to achieve. It is only beautiful-and this Satie
understood so well-if it is pure. It must be free of triteness.
Sauguet does not always avoid that triteness, which today
threatens all resolutely consonant music. Still, in the major

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