Henri Rabaud

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Henri Rabaud (Paris, 10 November 1873 - Paris, 11 September 1949) - Paris, was a French composer.

Rabaud was the son of a cellist and a singer, Hippolyte Rabaud (1839-1900), who was a professor of cello at the Paris Conservatory. Henri studied with André Gédalge and Jules Massenet at the Paris Conservatoire. In 1908, he became the conductor at the Paris Opéra at the Opéra-Comique and from 1914 to 1918 he directed the Opéra. He conducted in Boston for only one season before returing to Paris. He succeeded Gabriel Fauré (following his resignation) as director of the Paris Conservatory in 1922 and stayed there until 1941.

Conservative as a composer, he became known for his catch phrase "modernism is the enemy". He was also active as a conductor, and directed the Opéra orchestra for ten years.

[edit] Works

Rabaud's cantata, Daphné, won the Premier Grand Prix de Rome in 1894. Rabaud's comic opera "Mâruf, Savetier du Caire" (Marouf, Cobbler of Cairo) combines the Wagnerian and the exotic. He wrote other operas, including "L’Appel de la Mer" based on Synge’s "Riders to the Sea", as well as incidental music and film scores, such as the 1925 score for Joueur d'échecs (Chess-Player). These have been totally forgotten.

Orchestral music by Rabaud includes a Divertissement on Russian songs and Eglogue, a Virgilian poem for orchestra, as well as the symphonic poem (his most famous orchestral work), La Procession nocturne (which is still occasionally revived and recorded). He also wrote music for chorus and orchestra and two symphonies

His chamber music includes several works for cello and piano as well as a "Solo de Concours" for Clarinet and Piano - a virtuosic competition piece written for the graduation and solo competion for the Paris Conservatory in 1901.