Max d'Ollone

Who was Max d'Ollone?

Maximilien-Paul-Marie-Félix d'Ollone was a French composer, who was born on 13 June 1875 at Besançon and died in Paris in 1959.

He started composing very early, entering the Paris Conservatoire at 6, winning many prizes, receiving the encouragement of Gounod, Saint-Saëns, Massenet, Thomas and Delibes. His teachers at the Conservatoire were Lavignac, Massenet, Gédalge and Lenepveu; he won the Prix de Rome in 1897.

He was director of music in Angers, professor at the Paris Conservatoire and director of the Opéra-Comique. In 1932 he wrote three important articles for Le Ménestrel arguing for a more populist approach to composition.

In addition to the works listed below, d'Ollone produced a number of song cycles, which demonstrate a considerable mastery of the French mélodie. There are several works for orchestra, solo instrument and orchestra, and piano works.