Jean Françaix

French neoclassical composer and pianist Jean Françaix (1912–1997) studied at the Conservatoire of Le Mans, where his father is director. Françaix began to compose very early, publishing a piano composition at age nine. He later studied at the Paris Conservatory with Isidor Philipp and became a pupil of Nadia Boulanger. One of his first important works, Concertino for Piano and Orchestra was premiered at the festival of Baden-Baden in 1932. Françaix was an accomplished pianist from an early age, earning a First Prize in Piano at the Paris Conservatory, and toured throughout Europe and the U.S. He performed notably in a duo with the French cellist Maurice Gendron, and also performed the Poulenc Two-Piano Concerto with Francis Poulenc for several engagements. But his primary occupation was the extraordinarily active compositional career. He remained prolific throughout his life; even in 1981 Françaix described himself as "constantly composing", barely finishing one piece before beginning another, and continued thus until his death in 1997. He wrote pieces in many of the major large musical forms, including concerti, symphonies, opera, theatre, ballet, and works drawing on traditions falling out of favor in the 20th century, such as the cantata. One of his oratorios, entitled L'apocalypse selon St. Jean was written in 1939, and performed in Paris in 1942.