Pierné, (Henri Constant) Gabriel (1863-1937)

French composer and conductor. His numerous ballets include Cydalise et le chèvre-pied/Cydalise and the Satyr (1923), containing the ‘Entry of the Little Fauns’. As a conductor he gave many important first performances, including Debussy's Khamma in 1924 and La Boîte à joujoux in 1923.

He studied at the Paris Conservatory and won the Prix de Rome in 1882. In 1890 he succeeded César Franck as organist of the church of Sainte-Clotilde, became second conductor of Edouard Colonne's orchestra in 1903, and at Colonne's death in 1910 succeeded him as chief conductor.

Works Opera and stage the operas Les Elfes, Pandore, La coupe enchantée (after La Fontaine, 1905), La nuit de Noël, Vendée, La fille de Tabarin, On ne badine pas avec l'amour (after Musset, 1910), Fragonard, Sophie Arnould (1927); ballets, pantomimes, and incidental music.

Other oratorios, suites for orchestra, piano quintet, piano trio, songs.