Chronology of Thomas de Hartmann's life and major musical works

De Hartmann composed music for several theatre projects of Kandinsky. His work for The Yellow Sound was published in 1912 in what was to become one of the most famous and prestigious art books of the twentieth century: Der Blaue Reiter Almanach edited by Kandinsky and Franz Marc. In the same edition is an article by de Hartmann, 'Über die Anarchie in die Musik' from which we quote:
"External laws do not exist. In music, every means that arises from inner necessity is correct. Anarchy in art should be welcomed. Only this principle can lead us to a shining future, a new rebirth."
Kandinsky, in his famous treatise 'Über das Geistige in der Kunst' published in the same year, emphasised that only inner necessity can lead to art. De Hartmann's reference to the "new rebirth" foreshadows his interest in the expositions of his future teacher Gurdjieff.
At the end of 1916, the de Hartmanns met Gurdjieff and decided to follow him. The incredibly adventurous years from 1917 to 1923 have been described in their book Our Life with Mr. Gurdjieff. They were part of a small expedition led by Gurdjieff out of war-torn Russia, during which Thomas de Hartmann was almost killed by typhus. They travelled from one country to another while he worked as a musician in whatever town they passed through. Finally, the de Hartmanns settled in France, in Gurdjieff's Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man in Fontainebleau.