Dubois, (François-Clément) Théodore

Dubois, (François-Clément) Théodore , eminent French organist, pedagogue, and composer; b. Rosnay, Marne, Aug. 24,1837; d. Paris, June 11, 1924. He began his training with the Rheims Cathedral choirmaster, Louis Fanart, and then pursued studies at the Paris Cons, with Marmontel (piano), Benoist (organ), Bazin (harmony), and Thomas (fugue and counterpoint), where he won several 1st prizes and later the Grand Prix de Rome in 1861 with his cantata Atala. During his stay in Rome, he was befriended by Liszt. Returning to Paris, he served as maitre de chapelle at Ste. Clotilde (1867–69) and at the Madeline (1869–77), where he subsequently was organist. In 1871 he became prof. of harmony and in 1891 prof. of composition at the Paris Cons., becoming its director in 1896; he was compelled to resign his directorship in 1905 in the wake of the scandal caused by Ravel’s failure to be awarded the Grand Prix de Rome. In 1894 he was elected to membership in the French Academy. Dubois distinguished himself as a composer in the French classical tradition, most notably in his works for the church and in his concert scores. However, he was especially important as a pedagogue, and publ. the books Notes et etudes d’harmonie pour servir de supplement au traite de H. Reber (1889), 87 legons d’harmonie (1891), Traite de contrepoint et de fugue (1901), Lemons de solfege (1905), and Traite d’harmonie theorique et pratique (1921).

Works

DRAMATIC La prova di un’opera seria (1863); La Guzla de I’Emir, opéra-comique (Paris, April 30, 1873); Le pain bis, ou La Lilloise, opera-comique (Paris, Feb. 26, 1879); La Farandole, ballet (Paris, Dec. 14,1883); Aben-Hamet, opera (Paris, Dec. 16,1884); Xaviere, idylle dramatique (Paris, Nov. 26,1895). ORCH.: 3 overtures (1865, 1879, 1881); 2 suites (1874, 1877); Concerto-Capriccioso for Piano and Orch. (1876); 2 suites d’orchestre sur la farandole (1884, 1889); Deuxieme concerto for Piano and Orch. (1897); Adonis, symphonic poem (1907); 3 syms. (1908, 1913, 1924); Violin Concerto; Fantasie-Stuck for Cello and Orch. CHAMBER : 2 string quartets (1908, 1924); Dixtuor for String Quintet and Wind Quintet (1909); Nonetto for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and String Quintet (1926); piano pieces, including a Sonata (1908); many organ pieces. VOCAL: Atala, cantata (1861); 5 oratorios, including Les sept paroles du Christ (1867), Le paradis perdu (1879), and Notre-Dame de la mer (1897); Messe de Requiem (n.d.); Messe solennelle de Saint-Remi (1900); Messe de la Delivrance (1919); some 70 motets; over 70 songs.

Bibliography

M. Widor, Notice sur la vie et les travaux de T. D. (Paris, 1924).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire