The work of eclectic and prolific composer, pianist, and conductor Alexandre Tansman encompasses most of the trends of the 20th century: impressionism, neo-classicism, polytonality, atonalism, serialism, jazz, and movie soundtracks. It is uncommon for the mature works of a composer to betray clear influences the way Tansman's do, but the voices of Stravinsky and the French composers of his time are easily discernible in his music. Born in Poland, he studied law, and music on the side. At age 22 he won first and second prizes in a composition contest in Warsaw. As a result, he traveled to France, where he lived until his death, except for the Second World War years, which he spent in the U.S.A. In Paris, he made friends with Honegger and Milhaud. The young conductor Vladimir Golschmann championed his music. He became a popular pianist and conductor and toured Europe, North America, and the Far East. He and Stravinsky became close friends for life. Stravinsky became the main influence in his musical language. The Nazi invasion of France forced him to flee to the U.S.A., and for the duration of WWII he wrote movie soundtracks, but in 1946 he returned to France. He wrote six operas, seven ballets, seven symphonies, eight string quartets, and concertos for violin, viola, guitar, orchestra, and two for piano. To the memory of Stravinsky he wrote Stèle for voice and instruments, as well as a biographic volume. ~ Hector Bellman, Rovi