Henri Sauguet (1901-1989) was one of the most important composers, writers, and thinkers on French art and music in the latter half of the 20th century. He contributed notable works in all musical genres, particularly ballet and opera. He was the most important heir of the compositional style of Erik Satie, which was characterized by clarity and simplicity.

Henri Sauguet was born in Bordeaux, France, on May 18, 1901. As a young child Sauguet studied piano and was attracted to the music of Bizet, Schumann, and Debussy. He received organ lessons from Paul Combes, and after a brief appointment as an organist at a local church he studied composition under J. P. Vaubourgoin and Joseph Canteloube. He soon became interested in the music of Igor Stravinsky and Erik Satie.

After reading Jean Cocteau's Le Coq et l'arlequin, the most important work of this literary Dadaist, Sauguet organized the Bordeaux counterpart...