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Georges Barboteu was the leading horn
player in France and wrote etudes and
other compositions for the horn that are
staples of the repertoire and have been
used as examination pieces at the Paris
Conservatoire. He was "loved and
appreciated for his charisma, his
steadfast good humor, and his immense
cordiality."
Barboteu was born in Algiers in 1924.
His family was originally from Catalan but
had lived in Algeria for generations. His
father, Joseph Barboteu, was a
professional horn player and professor at
the Conservatoire d'Algiers. Georges
started horn with his father at age nine
and at age twelve was awarded a premier
prix at the conservatory. At age 14 he
played next to his father at the Grand
Casino in Biarritz, France.
In 1939, Georges auditioned for the
Paris Conservatoire, but World War II
broke out and both Barboteus returned to
Algeria. Georges played next to his father
in the orchestra of Radio Algiers, then
after three years his father turned the
solo position over to his son. During this
time, Georges also studied harmony and
counterpoint, learned to play double bass,
and wrote his first compositions.
After the war, in 1948, Barboteu
returned to France and joined the
Orchestre National (Radio France) under
Charles Munch. In 1950 he was admitted to
the Paris Conservatoire, and in 1951 he
won the premier prix, soon thereafter
winning first prize at the Geneva
International Competition.
Barboteu played in the Orchestre del
Société des Concerts du Conservatoire (the
future Orchestre de Paris), solo horn with
the Opera Comique, and in 1969 with the
Orchestre de Paris. He was horn professor
at the Paris Conservatoire from 1969-1989
and founder of the Quintette Ars Nova.
Barboteu was a member of the IHS
Advisory Council from 1976 to 1979 and
appeared as a featured artist at many
symposiums. He was elected an Honorary
Member in 1998.
Barboteu was a consummate musician. He
was involved in all styles of music, from
baroque to contemporary, including jazz
(recording with Duke Ellington). He was a
master at inspiring jazz and theatrical
arrangers and composers to include horns
in their orchestrations, from Franck
Pourcel to Claude Bolling.
His recordings include an early
recording of Schumann's Konzertstück,
which was reissued in 1994 with other solo
performances on The Magic of the
French Horn.
A tribute to Barboteu by his friend and
colleague Daniel Borgue appears in both
French and English in the February 2007
issue of The Horn Call.
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