Charles Koechlin

Charles Koechlin (1867-1950) was a French composer who enjoyed considerable attention in the first half of the 20th century, but became somewhat obscure after his death. Better known as a teacher and theorist, Koechlin nonetheless produced attractive quasi-Impressionistic works in all genres except opera, and orchestrated pieces by Saint-Saëns, Fauré, and Debussy. Koechlin wrote a multi-volume treatise on orchestration, and traveled to many countries as a lecturer on music. Among his students were two members of Les Six, Germaine Taillefaire, and Francis Poulenc. Of Koechlin's compositions, the best known are his symphonic poems based on Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book.