Cailliet, Lucien

Cailliet, Lucien, exceptional French-born American composer, arranger, and conductor; b. Châlons-sur-Marne, May 22, 1891; d. Woodland Hills, Calif., Jan. 3, 1985. He gained experience as an instrumentalist and bandmaster in the French Army, and received training at the Dijon Cons, and from Fauchet, Caussade, and Pares at the Paris Cons, (graduated, 1913). In 1915 he emigrated to the U.S. and in 1923 became a naturalized citizen. In 1919 he joined the Philadelphia Orch. as a clarinetist, and also was active with it as an arranger (several of his arrangements appeared under Stokow-ski’s cognomen, with the approval of Cailliet). He also taught at the Curtis Inst. of Music in Philadelphia. In 1937 he was awarded a doctorate in music by the Philadelphia Musical Academy. From 1938 to 1945 he taught orchestration, counterpoint, and conducting at the Univ. of Southern Calif, in Los Angeles. Between 1945 and 1957 he wrote some 25 film scores for Hollywood. He also made appearances as a guest conductor. From 1957 to 1976 he was educational and musical director of the G. Leblanc Corp. He prepared an orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition (1937). Among his original works were Memories of Stephen Foster for Orch. (1935), Variations on “Pop Goes the Weasel” for Orch. (1938), band music, and clarinet pieces. For a complete list of his works, see L. Fisher, “L. C.: His Contribution to the Symphonic Band, Orchestra, and Ensemble Literature,” Journal of Band Research, XVIII/2 (1983).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire