Jean Martinon, French conductor, composer. Decorated rosette Legion of Honor (France); Grand prize City Paris, 1943; Bela Bartok prize, Budapest, Hungary, 1948; Arts and Literature award Ministere Beaux-Arts, 1960; Mahler medal, 1967. Lion. Club: Alpin Francais Paris-Chamonix.
Background
Martinon was born in Lyon, where he began his education, going on to the Conservatoire de Paris to study under Albert Roussel for composition, under Charles Munch and Roger Désormière for conducting, under Vincent d"Industry for harmony, and under Jules Boucherit for violin.
Education
Student Lycee du Parc, Lyon, 1918-1925, National Music Conservatory of Lyon, 1924-1925, National Music Conservatory of Paris, 1926-1929. 1 son by previous marriage, Francois.
Career
He served in the French army during World World War II, and was taken prisoner in 1940, composing works such as Chant des captifs while incarcerated. Among his other compositions are four symphonies, four concertos, additional choral works and chamber music After the war, Martinon was appointed conductor of the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire of Paris, and, in 1946, of the Bordeaux Philharmonic Orchestra.
Other orchestras with which he was associated were the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as music director from 1963 to 1968.
The Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, the French National Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra, the Concerts Lamoureux and Het Residentie Orkest in The Hague. Martinon"s repertoire focused on the works of early twentieth century French and Russian composers.
The premieres of his violinand cello-concerti were given by Henryk Szeryng and Pierre Fournier respectively. He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron, an international professional music fraternity.
Martinon was diagnosed with bone cancer, not long after he guest conducted the San Francisco Symphony in their first complete performances of Deryck Cooke"s orchestration of Gustav Mahler"s tenth symphony.
He died in Paris.
Achievements
Membership
Club: Alpin Francais Paris-Chamonix.
Connections
Married second, Nery Perez, 1956. Children: Daniel, Jean Paul.
Decorated rosette Legion of Honor (France). Grand prize City Paris, 1943. Bela Bartok prize, Budapest, Hungary, 1948.tempSpaceArts and Literature award Ministere Beaux-Arts, 1960.
Mahler medal, 1967. Lion.
Decorated rosette Legion of Honor (France). Grand prize City Paris, 1943. Bela Bartok prize, Budapest, Hungary, 1948.tempSpaceArts and Literature award Ministere Beaux-Arts, 1960.