Albert Wolff

Albert Wolff (January 19, 1884 – February 20, 1970) was a French conductor and composer of Dutch decent. Most of his career was spent in European venues, with the exception of two years that he spent as a conductor at the Metropolitan Opera and a few years in Buenos Aires during the Second World War. He is most known for holding the position of principal conductor with the Opéra-Comique in Paris for several years.

Early life and career

Wolff was born on January 19, 1884 in Paris, France. His parents were Dutch which has caused some sources to identify Wolff as a Dutch composer. However, Wolff spent most of his life in France and was born a French citizen. He never lived in the Netherlands or was ever a citizen of that country. Wolff began his musical studies at the Paris Conservatoire at age 12. While at the conervatory he studied under such distinguished teachers as Gédalge, Leroux, and Vidal. Upon graduation at the age of 22, Wolff was awarded first prizes in harmony and accompaniment [Laurent F. Albert Wolff. Notes for Testament CD 1308, 2003.] . In 1906, he became organist at St. Thomas D'Aquin Church in Paris while leading ensembles elsewhere in that city. Wolff held that position for four years.

In 1908, Wolff was appointed chorus master at the Opéra-Comique. This was his first experience with any form of stage work. He remained in that position for three years before being given an opportunity to conduct the premiere of Laparra's "La jota". [Spieth-Weissenbacher C. Albert Wolff In: "The New Grove Dictionary of Opera" ed Sadie S. London & New York, Macmillan, 1997.] Impressed with his performance, the Opéra-Comique took him with them to Argentina where he conducted the local premiere of "Pelléas et Mélisande" - an achievement he repeated in Naples, Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. [Laurent, op cit.] He continued as a conductor at the Opéra-Comique until the outbreak of World War I. Throughout that conflict, Wolff served his country as a pilot, and was decorated for his courage.

At the end of the War, Wolff came to the United States to join the conducting staff at the Metropolitan Opera, replacing Pierre Monteux in the French repertoire. His made his debut on November 21 1919, in Gounod's "Faust". Although Wolff's work with the company received consistently positive reviews from critics, he spent less than two full seasons at the Metropolitan Opera. While with the company Wolff was able to conduct several performances of his own opera "L'oiseau bleu", the premiere being in the presence of Maurice Maeterlinck, whose play of the same name the opera was based on.

Wolff returned to the Opéra-Comique in 1922, succeeding André Messager as chief conductor and conducting first Paris performances of "L'enfant et les sortileges", "Le brebis égarée" by Milhaud and "Angélique" by Ibert. [Laurent F, op cit.] Around this same time, he founded the Concerts Modernes Paris to provide a medium for the public performance of new works. In 1924 he resigned his post at the Opéra-Comique and became musical director of the Champs Élysées Theatre. From 1928 to 1934 he became principal conductor of the Orchestre Lamoureux. He then moved to the Concerts Pasdeloup, which he conducted until 1940.

In October 1935 Wolff conducted the premiere of Roussel's 4th symphony, which was also dedidated to him, having previously made the premiere recording of Roussel's 3rd symphony with the Lamoureux. [Sanders A. Liner notes to Andre Cluytens - A French Collection CDs. London, Testament, 2002.] [Manduell J. Albert Roussel in "The Symphony, 2: Elgar to the Present Day" ed Simpson R. London, Penguin, 1967.]

In 1945 he became director of the Opera-Comique, conducting the first performance of "Les mamelles de Tirésias", and later becoming associated with the Paris Opera in 1949.

Wolff made recordings of French music for Polydor in the 1930s, and then of opera and orchestral music for Decca in the 1950s, including a complete "Carmen" and the complete music (in the context of the play) for "L'Arlésienne".

Works

Operas

* "Sœur Béatrice" (1911 ; Nice, 1948),
* "Le marchand de masques" (Nice, 1914),
* "L'oiseau bleu" (New York, December 27 1919).

Ballet

* "Le clochard", from a scenario by his son Pierre.

Music for orchestras

* "La randonnée de l'âme défunte"
* "Concerto pour flûte" (1943)
* "Symphonie en la"

Other works

* "Requiem" for soloists, choirs (Concerts Pasdeloup, March 25 1939),

References

External links

* [http://classicalcdreview.com/rdaw.html CD Review] Biography (in French): Jean-Philippe Mousnier: "Albert Wolff - Eugène Bigot" Edition L'Harmattan 2001.