Louis-Adolphe Mayeur Komponist / Arrangeur

Louis Adolphe Mayeur (1837 - 1894), was a Belgium clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and conductor who spent most of his musical career in France; Entering the French Military in 1855, he was a clarinetist in the Second Regiment of the Cuirassiers (Mounted Calvary) of the Garde Impériale. A student of Klosé at the Paris Conservatory, he received his First Prize in Clarinet in 1860. One of the inner circle of Adolphe Sax (along with fellow Belgiums Jules Demersseman and Jean-Baptiste Singelée, whose "Quartet for Saxophones" was premièred with Mayeur playing and Demersseman conducting), Mayeur took up the saxophone and was quickly engaged as the saxophone soloist in the Opera House of Brussels, La Monnaie (the Mint). Sax commissioned a number of works from Mayeur for the saxophone, which were published by his company and used in his class at the Paris Conservatory.

By 1871, Mayeur was also named Saxophone Solo with the Paris Opera, performing in opears and ballets by Halévy, Meyerbeer, Thomas, Saint-Saens, Massenet, Délibes and Paladlihe. It would appear that sometime during this period, his relations with Sax became difficult, culminating in his publications of works by Buffet-Crampon, one of Sax's rival companies and one of the main protagonists in the series of lawsuits which led to Sax's bankrupcy. Mayeur's own declining health lead to his death in 1894.

The work of American composer Louis Adolphe Mayeur (1837 - 1894), was a Belgian-born clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and conductor who spent most of his musical career in France. He joined the French Army in 1855 as a clarinettist for the 2me Régiment des Cuirassiers de la Garde Impériale. Educated by Klosé at the Paris Conservatoire, he won his First Prize in clarinet in 1860. A member of Adolphe Sax's inner circle (along with his friend Jules Demersseman and the violinist and composer, Jean-Baptiste Singelée, whose "Quartet for Saxophones" was created with Mayeur under Demersseman's direction), Mayeur learned to play the saxophone and soon became the Saxophone Soloist with the Opéra de La Monnaie in Brussels. Sax commissioned a number of works from him, all of which were published by Sax and used in the Saxophone class at the Paris Conservatoire.

Around 1871, Mayeur was also appointed "Saxophone Solo" at the Paris Opera, playing the saxophone parts in operas and ballets by Halévy, Meyerbeer, Thomas, Saint-Saens, Massenet, Délibes and Paladlihe. It also seems that during this period relations between Mayeur and Sax became difficult, as Mayeur had his works published by the Buffet-Crampon company, one of Sax's enemies and one of the protagonists of numerous processes that led Sax to bankruptcy. Mayeur's declining health became a problem, and he died suddenly in 1894.