142 - DUBOIS (Théodore) (1837–1924), French composer, organist, and educator; winner of the Prix de Rome in 1861; later director of the Paris Conservatory from 1896 to 1905.

DUBOIS (Théodore) (1837–1924), French composer, organist, and educator; winner of the Prix de Rome in 1861; later director of the Paris Conservatory from 1896 to 1905. Autograph letter signed “Th. Dubois” to a friend. Paris, August 9, 1883. 1 page, in-12 format, on mourning paper with a wide black border. A lovely thank-you letter in which Théodore Dubois expresses his affection for his correspondent and congratulates him on his selection for a competition. “I thank you for the compliments you have addressed to me and for the sentiments you have expressed; I am also pleased to see the affection you have for me, which is certainly inspired by the affection I myself have for you. ” He goes on to offer his congratulations to his correspondent: “I was pleased to hear of your nomination for the competition; this proves that I was right to want you to compete, and it should encourage you for next year. You are my finest asset this year, for you have seen that those gentlemen have shirked the honor of the class.” This letter attests to the affection Théodore Dubois felt for his students and to the importance of competitions in musical training at the Paris Conservatory. It also reveals the teacher’s pride in his correspondent’s successes, whom he encourages to continue his efforts. Mourning paper with a wide black border; original creases.