Pierre Capdevielle (musician)
Encyclopedia
Pierre Capdevielle was a French conductor
, composer
, and music critic. In 1938 he was awarded the Prix Blumenthal
and in 1948 he founded the Centre de documentation de musique internationale. For many years he was President of France's chapter of the International Society for Contemporary Music
. He also served on the music council of UNESCO
. In 1961 he was made a Chevalier of the Order of the Légion d'honneur.
from 1924-1926. While there he was a pupil of Armand Ferté (piano), André Gedalge
(counterpoint
and fugue
), Isidor Philipp
(piano), and Paul Vidal
(music composition). After leaving the conservatoire he studied privately with Vincent d'Indy
.
During the 1930s, Capdevielle began working as an opera
conductor with theatres in the French provinces. He also worked as a music critic for Monde musicale and Revue musicale. In 1942 he became a professor of chamber music
at the Conservatoire de Paris and also served on the school's jury of examiners. In 1944 he was appointed the Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française
's director of the chamber music. He formed a special chamber orchestra at the RTF in 1952 with whom he conducted concerts on tour throughout Europe up through 1964. He died in Bordeaux at the age of 63.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and music critic. In 1938 he was awarded the Prix Blumenthal
Prix Blumenthal
The Prix Blumenthal was a grant or stipend awarded through the philanthropy of Florence Meyer Blumenthal — and the foundation she created, Fondation franco-américaine Florence Blumenthal — to discover young French artists, aid them financially, and in the process draw the United States...
and in 1948 he founded the Centre de documentation de musique internationale. For many years he was President of France's chapter of the International Society for Contemporary Music
International Society for Contemporary Music
The International Society for Contemporary Music is a music organization that promotes contemporary classical music.ISCM was established in 1922, in Salzburg. Its core activity is the World Music Days Festival, held every year at a different location. The festival includes cutting edge productions...
. He also served on the music council of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. In 1961 he was made a Chevalier of the Order of the Légion d'honneur.
Life and career
Born in Paris, Capdevielle studied at the Conservatoire de ParisConservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
from 1924-1926. While there he was a pupil of Armand Ferté (piano), André Gedalge
André Gedalge
André Gedalge , was an influential French composer and teacher.- Biography :André Gedalge was born at 75 rue des Saints-Pères, in Paris, where he first worked as a bookseller and editor specializing in livres de prix for public schools...
(counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
and fugue
Fugue
In music, a fugue is a compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject that is introduced at the beginning in imitation and recurs frequently in the course of the composition....
), Isidor Philipp
Isidor Philipp
Isidor Philipp was a French pianist, composer, and distinguished pedagogue of Hungarian descent. He was born in Budapest and died in Paris.-Biography:...
(piano), and Paul Vidal
Paul Vidal
Paul Antoine Vidal was a French composer, conductor and music teacher.Paul Vidal was born in Toulouse. He studied at the conservatoires in Toulouse and in Paris, under Jules Massenet in the latter. He won the Prix de Rome in 1883, one year before Claude Debussy did...
(music composition). After leaving the conservatoire he studied privately with Vincent d'Indy
Vincent d'Indy
Vincent d'Indy was a French composer and teacher.-Life:Paul Marie Théodore Vincent d'Indy was born in Paris into an aristocratic family of royalist and Catholic persuasion. He had piano lessons from an early age from his paternal grandmother, who passed him on to Antoine François Marmontel and...
.
During the 1930s, Capdevielle began working as an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
conductor with theatres in the French provinces. He also worked as a music critic for Monde musicale and Revue musicale. In 1942 he became a professor of chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
at the Conservatoire de Paris and also served on the school's jury of examiners. In 1944 he was appointed the Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française
Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française
Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française was the French national public broadcasting organization established on 9 February 1949 to replace the post-war "Radiodiffusion Française" , which had been founded in 1945...
's director of the chamber music. He formed a special chamber orchestra at the RTF in 1952 with whom he conducted concerts on tour throughout Europe up through 1964. He died in Bordeaux at the age of 63.
Operas
- Les Amants captifs, a mythe lyrique with a librettoLibrettoA libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
by Paul GuthPaul GuthPaul Guth was a French humorist, journalist and writer, and the President of the Académie des provinces françaises.... - Fille de l'Homme, tragédie lyrique, Paris, Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française, 9 November 1967
Orchestral
- Incantation pour la mort d'un Jeune Spartiate (1931; revised 1939)
- 3 symphonies (1936; 1942; da camera 1952-1953)
- Ouverture pour le pédant joué (1943)
- Epaves retrouvées, (composed 1952-1956)
- Moliera, suite symphonique (1947)
- Concerto del dispetto for piano and orchestra(1959)
Chamber music
- Trois pièces brèves for violin and piano (1948)
- Sonata da camera for violin and cello (1952)
- Élégie de Duino for Horn and Piano (1960)
- Sonate pour alto et piano
- Sonatina pastorale for flute and viola (1964)
Choral and vocal music
- De profundis for tenor and organ (1939)
- La Tragédie de Pérégrinos for narrator, chorus and orchestra on a text by Charles Exbrayat (1941) inspired by the pamphlet Lucian, created for Concerts Pasdeloup
- L'ile Rouge, cantata (composed 1945-1946)
- Cantate de la France retrouvée, for tenor, male chorus and wind instruments (1946)
- Various songs