René-Emmanuel Baton, known as Rhené-Baton (5 September 1879 – 23 September 1940), was a French conductor and composer. Though born in

Courseulles-sur-Mer Courseulles-sur-Mer (, ), commonly known as ''Courseulles'', is a commune in the Calvados department, Normandy, northwestern France. Until 1957, the town's name was simply ''Courseulles''. It lies 3 km west of Bernières-sur-Mer and 18&n ...

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

, his family originated in Vitré in neighbouring

Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

. He returned to the region at the age of 19, and many of his compositions express his love of the area. He also had close relationships with composers of the Breton cultural renaissance, notably

Guy Ropartz Joseph Guy Marie Ropartz (; 15 June 1864 – 22 November 1955) was a French composer and conductor. His compositions included five symphonies, three violin sonatas, cello sonatas, six string quartets, a piano trio and string trio (both in A min ...

Paul Le Flem Marie-Paul Achille Auguste Le Flem (18 March 1881 – 31 July 1984) was a French composer and music critic. Biography Born in Radon, Orne, of Breton parentage, son of Célestin Louis Joseph Marie Le Flem and wife Gabrielle Marie Dorenlo, and liv ...

Paul Ladmirault Paul Émile Ladmirault (8 December 1877 – 30 October 1944) was a French composer and music critic whose music expressed his devotion to Brittany. Claude Debussy wrote that his work possessed a "fine dreamy musicality", commenting on its charact ...

and

Louis Aubert Louis François Marie Aubert (19 February 1877 – 9 January 1968) was a French composer. Biography Born in Paramé, Ille-et-Vilaine, Louis Aubert was a child prodigy. His parents, recognizing their son's musical talent, sent him to Paris to re ...

. As a conductor he was notable for his attempts to expand appreciation of classical music.

Conducting career

He studied piano at the Paris Conservatory and learned music theory under

André Gedalge André Gedalge (27 December 1856 – 5 February 1926) was a French composer and teacher. Biography André Gedalge was born at 75 rue des Saints-Pères in Paris where he first worked as a bookseller and editor, specialising in ''livres de prix' ...

. He began his career as a ''chef de chant'' at the Opera-Comique in 1907. He was then appointed as musical director of various orchestral groups, notably the ''Society of Saint Cecilia'' in Bordeaux and Angers ''Société populaire'' (1910–1912). In 1910 he was chosen to head the "Festival of French music" in

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

, Germany.

Serge Diaghilev Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev ( ; rus, Серге́й Па́влович Дя́гилев, , sʲɪrˈɡʲej ˈpavləvʲɪdʑ ˈdʲæɡʲɪlʲɪf; 19 August 1929), also known as Serge Diaghilev, was a Russian art critic, patron, ballet impresario an ...

requested that he conduct the

Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Russian Revolution, Revolution ...

in London and South America (1912–1913). During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he was the head of the Dutch Royal Opera (1916–18) and conducted the summer concerts of the

Residentie Orchestra Het Residentie Orkest (; known also in English as ''Residentie Orkest The Hague'') is a Dutch orchestra based in The Hague. The orchestra is currently resident at the Amare performing arts centre in The Hague. History Henri Viotta founded the orch ...

in the

Kurhaus of Scheveningen The Kurhaus of Scheveningen, The Hague in the Netherlands is a hotel which has been called the Grand Hotel Amrâth Kurhaus The Hague since October 2014. It is located in the main seaside resort area, near the beach. History The Kurhaus was bu ...

(1914–19). Although his recordings are few, on 14, 17, and 18 October 1924 with the

Pasdeloup Orchestra The Pasdeloup Orchestra (also referred to as Orchestre des Concerts Pasdeloup) is the oldest symphony orchestra in France. History Founded in 1861 by Jules Pasdeloup with the name Concerts Populaires, it is the oldest orchestra still in existe ...

he committed to disc the first ever recording of

Hector Berlioz Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as the ''Symphonie fantastique'' and ''Harold en Italie, Harold in Italy'' ...

Symphonie fantastique ' (''Fantastic Symphony: Episode in the Life of an Artist … in Five Sections'') Opus number, Op. 14, is a program music, programmatic symphony written by Hector Berlioz in 1830. The first performance was at the Paris Conservatoire on 5 December ...

Serge Sandberg Serge Sandberg (1879–1981) was a French film producer. Born in Kaunas, then part of the Russian Empire, he emigrated to France in 1900 and initially found work with Pathé. He later went into production for himself, working for Eclair. In 1921 ...

entrusted him with the direction of the Pasdeloup concert (the French " Proms"), the mission of which was to democratise access to music, providing commentary and analysis prior to the performance of works. He organized this event until 1932 and continued to lead the orchestra until the end of his life. He died at

Le Mans Le Mans (; ) is a Communes of France, city in Northwestern France on the Sarthe (river), Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the Provinces of France, province of Maine (province), Maine, it is now the capital of ...

Premieres

He created the first performances of a number of notable musical works: *''Les Evocations'' by

Albert Roussel Albert Charles Paul Marie Roussel (; 5 April 1869 – 23 August 1937) was a French composer. He spent seven years as a midshipman, turned to music as an adult, and became one of the most prominent French composers of the interwar period. His ...

(1912) *''Printemps'' by

Claude Debussy Achille Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionism in music, Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influe ...

(1913) *''Habanera'' by

(1919) *''Alborada del gracioso'' (1919) and ''

Le tombeau de Couperin ''Le Tombeau de Couperin'' (''The Tomb of Couperin'') is a suite (music), suite for solo piano by Maurice Ravel, composed between 1914 and 1917. The piece is in six movements, based on those of a traditional Baroque music, Baroque suite. Each ...

'' by

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...

*''Les Agrestides'' and the ''Organ Symphony'' by

Georges Migot Georges Elbert Migot (27 February 1891 – 5 January 1976) was a prolific France, French composer. Though primarily known as a composer, he was also a poet, often integrating his poetry into his compositions, and an accomplished Painting, painter ...

(1922) *''Requiem'' by

(1939)

Arthur Honegger Arthur Honegger (; 10 March 1892 – 27 November 1955) was a Swiss-French composer who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. Honegger was a member of Les Six. For Halbreich, '' Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher'' is "more even ...

dedicated ''Le Chant de Nigamon'' (1918) to Rhené-Baton, as did

with his 2nd symphony (1923).

Compositions

Rhené-Baton composed pieces for orchestra, chamber ensembles and a large number of piano works. His ''6 Songs for Marycinthe'' were created at the request of

Maurice Duhamel Maurice Duhamel (23 February 1884 – 5 February 1940) was the pen-name of Maurice Bourgeaux, a Breton musician, writer and activist who was a leading figure in Breton nationalism and federalist politics in the years before World War II. Early lif ...

. Breton subjects appear frequently in his works, such as "Au pardon de Rumengol", "En Bretagne", "Vieille chapelle en Cornouaille". He also set to music the poems of Auguste Brizeux (Le Clocher) and

Louis Tiercelin Louis Tiercelin (Rennes, 1846 - Paramé, 1915), was a French writer, poet and playwright associated with the Breton cultural renaissance of the early 20th century. He debuted at the age of 18 with two plays performed at the theatre of Rennes. He ...

(''Chansons bretonnes''). Some of his works were influenced by the vogue for

orientalism In art history, literature, and cultural studies, Orientalism is the imitation or depiction of aspects of the Eastern world (or "Orient") by writers, designers, and artists from the Western world. Orientalist painting, particularly of the Middle ...

at the time.Rhené-Baton sur compositeursbretons.com
A founding member of the

Association des Compositeurs Bretons Association may refer to: *Club (organization), an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal *Trade association, an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry *Voluntary associatio ...

in 1912, he composed many works using a Breton folk idiom. In July 201
Brilliant Classics released a double CD
album dedicated to Rhené-Baton's chamber music for strings and piano, performed by th
Wolferl Trio
which includes three premier recordings of the Violin Sonatas No. 1 and 2, the ''Suite ancienne'', the Cello Sonata and the Piano Trio.

Works

Symphonic and Operatic

*Variations, for piano and orchestra on a theme in the aeolian mode (1904) *''Menuet pour Monsieur, frère du roi'' (1909) *''Poème élégiaque'', for violon et orchestre (1924) *''Danses paysannes'' (1924) *''En vacances'' (1924) *''Pour les funérailles d'un marin '' (1925) *''Fantaisie orientale'', for violin and orchestra (1926) *''Petite suite'', for brass band (1932) *several film scores, 1928–29

Chamber music

*Violin Sonata No. 1 (1921) *Cello Sonata (1923) *Piano Trio (1924) *''Poème élégiaque'', for cello and piano (1924) *''Passacaille'', Op. 35, for flute and piano (1924) *''Bourrée'', Op. 42, for flute and piano (1926) *''Fantaisie orientale'', for violin and piano (1926) *Violin Sonata No. 2 (1927) *''Suite ancienne'', for violin and piano (1933)

Piano

*''Étude en La mineur'' (1901) *''Prélude en Ré mineur'' (1901) *''Sérénade fantastique'' (1901) *''Six Préludes'' (1901) *''Pour Yvonne Billot'' (1902) *''Album Rose'' (1902) *''En Bretagne'', Op. 13 (suite de six pièces) (1909) *''Ballade en la bémol'', Op. 22 (1921) *''Dans le style rococo'', Op. 23 (1921) *''Au pardon de Rumengol'', Op. 25 (1922) *''Danses à sept temps'', Op. 30 (1923) *''Dans la Clairière'', Op. 36 (1925) *''Cortège funèbre d'un Samouraï'', Op. 37 (1925) *''Marche des Rois Mages'', Op. 39 (1925) *''Danse de la Saint-Jean'', Op. 40 (1926) *''Vieille chapelle en Cornouaille'', Op. 41 (1926) *''2me Ballade'', Op. 43 (1926) *''Danse pour Anne de Bretagne'', Op. 44 (1926) *''Valse romantique'', Op. 45 (1927) *''River-side'', Op. 49 (1928) *''Pour la jeunesse'', Op. 51 (1929) *''Potiron'', Op. 58 (1938)

Vocal and religious

*pieces for voice and piano *''Chansons pour Marycinthe'', for orchestra (1931)

References

External links

René, Emmanuel Bâton

Rhené-Baton sur compositeursbretons.com
*
Recording of the Cello Sonata by Rhené-Baton

Complete Chamber music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rhene-Baton 1879 births 1940 deaths 20th-century French classical composers 20th-century French conductors (music) 20th-century French male musicians Breton musicians Concert band composers Conservatoire de Paris alumni French male classical composers French male conductors (music) People from Calvados (department) Musicians from Normandy