Jean Théodore Radoux was a Belgian 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 bassoonist. In 1859 he won the Belgian Prix de Rome

Prix de Rome (Belgium)

The Belgian Prix de Rome is an award for young artists, created in 1832, following the example of the original French Prix de Rome. The Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp organised the prize until 1920, when the national government took over. The first prize is also sometimes called the Grand Prix...

 for his cantata

Cantata

A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....

 Le Juif errant which he had composed earlier that year. His other compositions include 2 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...

s, an oratorio

Oratorio

An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...

, 2 symphonic poem

Symphonic poem

A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another source is illustrated or evoked. The term was first applied by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt to his 13 works in this vein...

s, an overture

Overture

Overture in music is the term originally applied to the instrumental introduction to an opera...

, several choral works

Choir

A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...

 and vocal art songs, and music for the church.

Life and career

Born in Liège

Liège

Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....

, Radoux began studying 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,...

 at the Liège Conservatory in 1845 at the age of 9 with Joseph Daussoigne-Méhul

Joseph Daussoigne-Méhul

Joseph Daussoigne-Méhul was a French composer and music educator. He served as the first director of the Royal Conservatory of Liège from 1826-1862; having been appointed to that post by William I of the Netherlands. In addition to his duties as director, he also taught courses in harmony and...

. He was awarded a premiere prix in music theory

Music theory

Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...

 the following year, after which he pursued training on the cello

Cello

The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...

 and piano

Piano

The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

 for a brief period. Discouraged by his lack of progress on these instruments, he abandoned musical studies for the next two years.

In 1847 Radoux was persuaded by Professor Bacha to return to the conservatory to study the bassoon under his instruction. He flourished on that instrument and after some years of study earned a premiere prix and a gold medal for bassoon performance. He spent some time in Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

 during the early 1850s studying music composition with Fromental Halévy

Fromental Halévy

Jacques-François-Fromental-Élie Halévy, usually known as Fromental Halévy , was a French composer. He is known today largely for his opera La Juive.-Early career:...

.

Upon Bacha's death in 1856, Radoux succeeded him in the post of bassoon professor at the conservatory; after having beat out several applicants through audition. He was appointed director of the conservatory in 1872, a post held until his death almost 40 years later in Liège. Sylvain Dupuis

Sylvain Dupuis

Sylvain Dupuis was a Belgian conductor, composer, oboist, and music educator.-Life:Born in Liège, Dupuis was trained at the Royal Conservatory of Liège. After graduating in 1878, he was appointed to that school's faculty as a professor of harmony. In 1911 he succeeded Jean-Théodore Radoux as the...

 succeeded him as director.

Selected works

• Le Juif errant, Cantata for soprano, cello and orchestra (1859)
• Le Béarnais, Comic Opera in 3 acts, 4 scenes (Liege, 1866); libretto by A. Pellier-Quesny
• Les Maîtres flamands, Pièce historique in 4 acts (Brussels, 1968)
• La Coupe enchantée, Comic Opera (Brussels, 1871)
• Caïn, Poème lyrique (Oratorio) for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1877); words by Pauline Braquaval-L'Olivier
• Patria, Poème lyrique in 3 parts for soloists, chorus and orchestra; words by Lucien Solvay
• Cantate pour l'inauguration de l'Exposition universelle de Liège, 1905; written for the 1905 World Exposition in Liège
  Liège International (1905)
  Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Liège was a world's fair held in Liège in 1905 from April 27 to November 6 just 8 years after a Belgian exposition held in Brussels...
  
  ; words by Jules Sauvenière
• Le Printemps for female chorus and orchestra
• Ahasvire, Symphonic Poem
• Le festin de Balthasar, Symphonic Poem
• Apopee nationale, Symphonic Overture
• Te Deum (mass)
• Lamento for violin, cello and orchestra
• 10 Romances sans paroles for piano
• 12 Pièces for piano
• Grande marche internationale for concert band (1877)
• Élégie for cello or bassoon and chamber orchestra (or piano)
• Nocturne for trombone and string orchestra
• Fraternité!, Hymne internationale (1869)

Literary

• Henri Vieuxtemps, sa vie et ses œuvres (Henry Vieuxtemps: His Life and Works) (1891)

External links