Eugène Bozza

Eugène Bozza (April 4, 1905 - September 28, 1991) was a French composer.

Bozza, who studied composition, conducting, and violin at the Paris Conservatoire, was known primarily for his chamber music. Bozza's work includes five symphonies, an opera Leonidas (1947), a ballet Jeux de plage (1950), and many pieces for brass ensemble, though the larger works are rarely performed outside his native France. La légende de Roukmāni, a cantata based on an Indian legend, won him the Prix de Rome in 1934. Bozza was the director of the Ecole Nationale de Musique, in Valenciennes, from 1951 until his retirment in 1975. He is particularly noted for his wind writing, having composed pieces for nearly all of the winds and strings during his academic career (including the saxophone, for which his 1936 "Aria" is an important early composition). His chamber music for winds shows great familiarity with the capabilities of the instruments, often demanding a great deal of technical skill, without losing the expressive, melodic style typical of 20th century French chamber music; his music is part of the standard repertoire for several instruments.

References

• Griffiths, Paul: "Eugène Bozza". Grove Music Online. (subscription access)
• Griffiths, Paul, and Richard Langham Smith: "Eugène Bozza". Grove Music Online, OperaBase. (subscription access)