Description
Louis Adolphe Mayeur (1837 - 1894), was a Belgium clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and conductor who spent most of his musical career in France; Entering the French Military in 1855, he was a clarinetist in the Second Régiment of the Cuirassiers (Mounted Calvary) of the Garde Impériale. A student of Klosé at the Paris Conservatory, he received his First Prize in Clarinet in 1860. One of the inner circle of Adolphe Sax (along with fellow Belgiums Jules Demersseman and Jean-Baptiste Singelée, whose “Quartet for Saxophones“ was premièred with Mayeur playing and Demersseman conducting), Mayeur took up the saxophone and was quickly engaged as the saxophone soloist in the Opera House of Brussels, La Monnaie (the Mint). Sax commissioned a number of works from Mayeur for the saxophone, which were published by his company and used in his class at the Paris Conservatory.
By 1871, Mayeur was also named Saxophone Solo with the Paris Opera, performing in opears and ballets by Halévy, Meyerbeer, Thomas, Saint-Saens, Massenet, Délibes and Paladlihe. It would appear that sometime during this period, his relations with Sax became difficult, culminating in his publications of works by Buffet-Crampon, one of Sax’s rival companies and one of the main protagonists in the series of lawsuits which led to Sax’s bankrupcy. Mayeur’s own declining health lead to his death in 1894.
The Grande Fantaisie de Concert sur Rigoletto dates from 1877. The contrasting sections use motifs
from arias and duets from Verdi’s opera. Florid cadenzas seperate the various sections, but those passages
should be played in the manner of “bel canto” ornamentation, always lyrical and songlike.
Versions are available from Musik Fabrik for Symhony Orchestra (on rental : 2222/2000/Timp/hp/strings)
and for Concert Band (for sale)