The purpose of the work is to consider the concept of “modernism” in the historical aspect of its formation, to analyze the key artistic tendencies of the formation period of French modernism according to the example not only of the musical works of modernist composers, but also the works of representatives of other types of arts who lived and worked during the 20s in the XX-th century in France. Also, the task of the research is to identify those innovative ideas and creative methods that contributed to the renewal of musical art. The methodology is based on historical-contextual, comparative and system-analytical methods. The scientific novelty of the research is in the fact that the formation of French musical modernism is considered in the context of general artistic ideas that were formed in the unique society of representatives of the artistic Parisian bohemia, who lived and worked in the Montmarnas region of Paris. This perspective allows to study deeper the innovative trends in musical works in the period of the 20s of the XX-th century, which arose on the basis of creative interchange. There were analyzed such works of French modernist composers as chamber-vocal cycle by J. Auric “Eight Poems by Jean Cocteau”, chamber-vocal cycle “Bestiary or Orpheus Cortege” by F. Poulenc and chamber-vocal cycle with the same name by L. Durey, ballet by E. Satie “Parade”, rondo ballet “The Bull on the Roof” by D. Millau. The analysis of the artistic, literary and musical works of this period gave the possibility to identify common themes, ideas and concepts, as well as the creative methods and cross-cutting images and symbols inherent in works of different types of art. Conclusions. The article examines the concept of “modernism” in historical, philosophical and artistic senses. As a result of this historical period studying, as well as the analysis of the works of different representatives of the art, that were selected by the author, the general ideas and artistic trends which were identified in the works of the period of the 20s of the XX-th century. The interchange of innovative “inventions” between representatives of different kinds of arts is justified by a common desire to renew art and to friendly co-creation. An analysis of the musical works of the 20s showed that composers embodied the ideals, trends and artistic methods which were inherent in the general avant-garde movement of that period. There are the associative and allusive method, the ready-make method, the metaphorical writing, the idea of “new simplicity”, the idea of “purifying art”, personnel drama among them. These definitions fit such streams as modernism, surrealism, cubism, orphism. As a result, the synthesis of the arts and the interpenetration of artistic principles and methods in works with genre specificity are identified as key characteristics of French modernism.