133 - DUBOIS (Théodore) (1837–1924), French composer, organist, and educator; director of the Paris Conservatory from 1896 to 1905.

DUBOIS (Théodore) (1837–1924), French composer, organist, and educator; director of the Paris Conservatory from 1896 to 1905. Autograph card signed “Th. Dubois” to Maurice Emmanuel (1862–1938), French composer and musicologist. Paris, December 17, 1910. 2 pages, oblong in-12 format, on a card bearing his address: 201 Boulevard Pereire. A very interesting postcard concerning conducting and the difficulties of interpreting contemporary works. “Yes, Marteau will perform the Concerto in Berlin, with a good orchestra that I will conduct!” The composer also offers a critical assessment of the conditions for musical performance: “Why can’t we always rehearse at least twice, especially for difficult, modern works that no one knows? Mozart and Beethoven might be able to get by without it, but the rest of us!” Théodore Dubois refers to the violinist Henri Marteau (1874–1934), a renowned Franco-German performer, who was to play a concerto in Berlin under his direction. This correspondence reflects the ties between French and German musicians on the eve of World War I and Dubois’s concerns regarding the quality of performances of contemporary works. The postcard shows some normal creases from handling.