Les Siècles
François-Xavier Roth, conductor
Vanessa Wagner, piano

The brilliant musician Théodore Dubois (1837-1924) was an exceptionally gifted student at the Conservatoire de Paris, winning many awards, particularly in piano and composition, including his first Grand Prix de Rome in 1861.
On his return to France, he instantly embarked on his steady patient progression toward the top. He was a tutor in harmony at the Conservatoire from 1871 and ten years later became a tutor of composition, before his appointment as director in 1896 a position he held until his retirement in 1905. He combined these duties with various music-related positions in the Church, notably as organist of La Madeleine (1877-1896). He received several official honours and became a member of the Institut in 1894, but his work suffered because of his privileged status after his death. However, works as varied as "Ouverture de Frithiof", the original "Dixtuor" for double quintet or the highly romantic "Concerto pour piano en fa mineur" prove that, while respecting his princiles of clarity and the tradition, Dubois was sensitive to modern developments. His inspiration was eclectic and his work touches on all genres, appealing to Franck and Schumann, as much as Brahms and Saint-Saëns.