At the turn of the 20th century, French mélodies portray the Middle East as a faraway and marvellous wonderland. Through a brilliant setting of musical figures, they generate an imaginary journey evocating a luxuriant world of either sensory stimulations (Les Roses d’Ispahan by Leconte de Lisle/Fauré) or erotic symbolism (Trois Chansons de Bilitis by Louÿs/Debussy). During the second decade of the century, though, its suggestive strength went weak; it became rather a trigger for vanguard experimentations. Nourished by musicological discoveries and the development of public passenger transport systems, musicians are becoming increasingly sensitive towards the act of composing in extra-European cultures and its relation with sound. By choosing musical timbre as cornerstone for the composition form, they create new musical landscapes. Thus, Delage’s Quatre Poèmes Hindous and Ravel’s Chansons Madécasses take the Middle East as the utter root of a rediscovered humanity, pledge of a true artistic authenticity.