Alain Bancquart (1934-2022) was born in Dieppe and studied violin, viola, counterpoint, fugue and composition at the Paris Conservatoire, with Darius Milhaud for composition. He played viola in the Orchestre National de France until 1973. From 1967 he devoted his work to microtonal music, using quarter-tones and later sixteenth-tones within a neo-serial approach. His output includes five symphonies, concertos and chamber operas. Le Livre du labyrinthe, on Mode, is a six-part work for microtonal pianos, electric guitar, viola d'amore, harp, percussion, five cellos and tape, recorded live at Radio France in 2000.