Gaubert Philippe (1879-1941) was born in Cahors (Lorraine, France) on the 5th of July, 1879. His father, a shoe maker and amateur clarinettist, gave him his first music lessons. When Philippe was seven the family moved to Paris, where Jules Taffanel, and a few years later Taffanel`s son Paul, became his flute teachers. At first he received private lessons, but since 1893 he studied at the Paris Conservatoire, receiving a First Prize the following year. His teachers for harmony and composition were Raoul Pugno, Xavier Leroux and Charles Lenepveu. In 1905 he received the 2nd Prix de Rome. In the meanwhile he had become the assistant conductor of the `Société des Concerts`, and after serving in the French army he was appointed principal conductor of the Opéra, as well as flute professor at the Conservatoire. After the Great War he built up a splendid career, particularly as a conductor specializing in contemporary music. Gaubert conducted many important premières, such as Albert Roussel`s opera `Padmâvati` (1923) and the ballet `Bacchus et Ariane` (1931), Gabriel Fauré`s `Masques et Bergamasques` (1919), and Henri Sauguet`s `La Chartreuse de Parme` (1939). Besides, many first performances of works by Pierné and Ibert were conducted by Gaubert. He also brought much Wagner and Berlioz, and presented a new interpretation of Monteverdi`s opera `Orfeo`. Gaubert toured all over Europe. The `Wagnervereeniging` invited him to Amsterdam, where in 1935 he conducted the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Paul Dukas` `Ariane et Barbebleu` at the Stadsschouwburg. In 1938 he was honoured as Commander of the `Légion d`honneur`. Philippe Gaubert was a prolific composer. He wrote many chamber music works, often for flute, but also for other instruments and songs. For orchestra he composed three symphonic poems, a violin concerto, ballet music and the operas `Fresques` (1923), and `Naïla` (1927). Philippe Gaubert died in Paris on the 8th of July 1941, suffering a brain haemorrhage. It was only a few days after the première of his ballet `Le Chevallier et la demoiselle` at the Paris Opéra. * Jean-Pierre Rampal thought Gaubert the greatest flutist of them all -- not merely the greatest flutist of his time (of which there was never any doubt.) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.