Théodore DuBois (1837 - 1924)

Theodore Dubois card.jpg (91460 bytes)

TRANSCRIPTION

Avec mes empressés compliments à l'excellent Canadien français qui se
souvient si gentiment de la mère patrie.

Théodore Dubois

Membre de l'Institut
Directeur du Conservatoire National de Musique et de Déclamation

Paris, 22 Jr 1901

TRANSLATION

With my kindest regards to the excellent French Canadian who so nicely
remembers the fatherland.

Théodore Dubois

Member of the Institute2
Director of the National Conservatory of Music and Declamation

Paris, January 22, 1901³

NOTES:

1) Document size 6 cm x 10 cm (card).

2) The Institute of France, established in 1795, had 5 academies, one of which was the Academy of Fine Arts (Acdaémie des Beaux Arts) that included music, painting and sculpture. The other four were: Académie Française, Académie des Inscriptions et Belle-Lettres, Académie des Sciences and Académic des Sciences Morales et Politiques. Membership in the Institute was a great honor since there was a fixed number (40) of "seats." A seat became open upon the death of a member. There were 6 seats on the music section

3) January 22, 1901 was a Tuesday. DuBois was about 64 years old.

4) DuBois resigned as Director of the Conservatoire in 1905, a post he held since 1896. It was offered to Massenet, who declined. Fauré was then appointed Director in June 1905. (Demar Irvine, Massenet, p.258).

ABOUT THE COMPOSER

François Clément Théodore Dubois (1837 - 1924) began his study of music with Louis Fanart, choirmaster at the Cathedral of Rheims. He continued his studies at the Paris Conservatory where he won the Prix de Rome in 1861. After his required sojourn in Italy, he returned to Paris in 1866 and sought employment with one of the opera houses. Failing that, he became active as an organist and teacher, but continued to compose. He composed in many forms: ballet, masses and other church music; orchestral works, overtures, many organ pieces, and even a symphonic poem. His real interest, however, was opera, though he never had much success in having his operas produced. In 1867, he completed an oratorio—the work for which he has been most remembered: Les sept parole du Christ (The Seven Words of Christ). In 1868, he was choirmaster at the Church of the Madeleine. In 1871, the same year he began teaching harmony at the Conservatoire, he succeeded César Franck as organist at the Church of Sainte-Clotilde. In 1877, Dubois returned to the Church of the Madeleine, but this time as organist, following Camille Saint-Saëns. During the 1870s and 1880s, he finally had some of his operas staged in Paris. He became the Director of the Paris Conservatory from 1896 to 1905.

REV: 2/18/2004

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