Abstract
Cultural history reflects well the sad but true tidings of the French proverb Nul n'est prophète dans son pays (“None is prophet in his own land”), and the polymath, esoteric impressionist composer, philosopher, scientist, inventor and Rear-Admiral Jean Cras (1879–1932) is a shining example of the prophecy. Even within his own country, the composer's stature among the impressionists remains equivocal, but finally, ignored for more than a half century, his wonderfully eclectic works are now finally enjoying a vibrant renaissance. A devout Catholic and devoted family man, Jean Cras composed Quatre petites pièces pour violon et piano (Four Little Pieces for Violin and Piano), presents for his son Jean-Pierre's (1918–1948) eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh birthdays, as a labor of love. For this very reason, and with apologies to William Shakespeare, the title of one his immortal plays has been usurped for this article's title.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.