Gustave Doret
Encyclopedia
Gustave Doret was a Swiss composer and conductor.
Doret was born in 1866 in Aigle, Switzerland. He studied at the Berlin Academy of Music with Joseph Joachim
, and then at the Paris Conservatory with Théodore Dubois
and Jules Massenet
. His career as a conductor began in 1894 in Paris, where he led the first performance of Claude Debussy
's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. He was second conductor of the Concert d'Harcourt from 1893 to 1895 and director of the Opera-comique
in the 1890s and 1900s. He was also the founder of the Théâtre du Jorat, in Mézières
.
While his two serious operas, heavily indebted to Massenet, saw performances in Paris, his light opera and other stage works were far more popular across French-speaking Europe. In 1914, Doret returned to Switzerland and began studying local popular music
and folk music
traditions. He also wrote for Swiss newspapers and wrote a memoir, Temps et contretemps, published in 1942.
Most of his output was vocal, and included operas, music theater pieces, one oratorio
, choral music, and more than 300 songs. His only instrumental works were two orchestral pieces, a string quartet
, and a piano quintet
.
Doret died 1943 in Lausanne.
Doret was born in 1866 in Aigle, Switzerland. He studied at the Berlin Academy of Music with Joseph Joachim
Joseph Joachim
Joseph Joachim was a Hungarian violinist, conductor, composer and teacher. A close collaborator of Johannes Brahms, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant violinists of the 19th century.-Origins:...
, and then at the Paris Conservatory with Théodore Dubois
Théodore Dubois
François-Clément Théodore Dubois was a French composer, organist and music teacher.-Biography:Théodore Dubois was born in Rosnay in Marne. He studied first under Louis Fanart and later at the Paris Conservatoire under Ambroise Thomas. He won the Prix de Rome in 1861...
and Jules Massenet
Jules Massenet
Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer best known for his operas. His compositions were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and he ranks as one of the greatest melodists of his era. Soon after his death, Massenet's style went out of fashion, and many of his operas...
. His career as a conductor began in 1894 in Paris, where he led the first performance of Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy
Claude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. He was second conductor of the Concert d'Harcourt from 1893 to 1895 and director of the Opera-comique
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
in the 1890s and 1900s. He was also the founder of the Théâtre du Jorat, in Mézières
Charleville-Mézières
Charleville-Mézières is a commune in northern France, capital of the Ardennes department in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Charleville-Mézières is located on the banks of the Meuse River.-History:...
.
While his two serious operas, heavily indebted to Massenet, saw performances in Paris, his light opera and other stage works were far more popular across French-speaking Europe. In 1914, Doret returned to Switzerland and began studying local popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
and folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
traditions. He also wrote for Swiss newspapers and wrote a memoir, Temps et contretemps, published in 1942.
Most of his output was vocal, and included operas, music theater pieces, one oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
, choral music, and more than 300 songs. His only instrumental works were two orchestral pieces, a string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
, and a piano quintet
Piano quintet
In European classical music, a piano quintet is a work of chamber music written for piano and four other instruments, most commonly piano, two violins, viola, and cello . Among the most frequently performed piano quintets are those by Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, César Franck, Antonín Dvořák...
.
Doret died 1943 in Lausanne.
Works
- Les sept paroles du Christ (1895) Oratorio
- Les Armaillis (1900) Opera
- Fête des Vignerons (1905)
- Aliénor (1910) Stage music
- La Nuit des Quatre Temps (1910) Stage music
- Tell (1914) Stage music
- Fête des Vignerons (1927)
- La Serv Ante d'Evolène (1937)