Musical works

Born into a renowned family of musicians, Henri Rabaud (1873–1949) studied composition with Jules Massenet and won the prestigious Grand Prix de Rome in 1894. He later succeeded Fauré as director of the Paris Conservatoire, a position he held from 1922 to 1941.

Composed in 1901 for the class of Charles Turban, Rabaud’s Solo de Concours, Op. 10, follows a three-part structure. An opening cadenza-like recitative for clarinet leads into a solemn Largo in F minor, evoking the grandeur of J.S. Bach. This, in turn, gives way to a lively Allegro infused with a more modern harmonic language. A testament to its enduring appeal, the piece was used in Conservatoire competitions multiple times, in 1908, 1915, 1925, and 1937.