Darius Milhaud - String Quartet No. 10, Op. 218 (1940)

Darius Milhaud (4 September 1892 – 22 June 1974) was a French composer, conductor, and teacher. He was a member of Les Six—also known as The Group of Six—and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. His compositions are influenced by jazz and Brazilian music and make extensive use of polytonality. Milhaud is considered one of the key modernist composers.

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String Quartet No. 10, Op. 218 "Birthday Quartet" (1940/7/10–1940/8/9
Atlantic Ocean and Old Lyme, New York)
Dedication: à Mrs. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge

1. Modérément animé (0:00)
2. Vif (5:20)
3. Lent (7:07)
4. Final. Très animé (11:29)

Quatuor Parisii
Véronique Dietschy, soprano
Thierry Brodard & Jean-Michel Berrette, violin
Dominique Lobet, viola
Jean-Philippe Marignoni, cello

The work, also known as the Birthday Quartet, was composed between 10 July and 9 August 1940 while Milhaud was at the Atlantic Ocean and Old Lyme, New York.

The dedication to Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, a prominent American philanthropist and patron of the arts, reflects her long-standing support for music and her close association with Milhaud’s circle. Coolidge was known for her generosity toward composers and cultural institutions, and her patronage helped sustain many of Milhaud’s projects during the 1940s.