Long ago – He was the odd one out of the "Groupe des Six": despite an extensive body of work and important advocates, Louis Durey is nowadays known only to specialists. Holger Falk and Steffen Schleiermacher devote the final episode of their song cycle series on the "Groupe des Six" to this independent-minded figure, whose work challenges many assumptions about music in the circle around Cocteau.

Grand Dissident – Unlike his colleagues, Durey was quite critical of Cocteau's severity; he did not share the prevailing disdain for anything 'romantic'. Thus among the lyricists for his songs are not only the usual suspects, but also Rilke and Heine – and even Ho Chi Minh!

Committed – For Durey was also an outspoken communist and revolutionary who fought for the Resistance and wanted to write music for the common people. Did he achieve this with his highly artistic songs? His 'Orchards' on original texts by Rilke certainly testify to an expressive harmonic richness that rivals that of Schoenberg and Messiaen – far removed from Cocteau's ideal of a simple musical language.

Overlooked – Probably that's why Durey is so often overlooked when it comes to the 'Groupe des Six'. And yet the picture would be incomplete; all the more credit to Falk and Schleiermacher for showing the full spectrum of an era in their multi-award-winning series. Here it is then, the long-awaited rehabilitation of an unjustly forgotten artist.