Meifred, Pierre-Joseph Emile
Meifred, Pierre-Joseph Emile
Meifred, Pierre-Joseph Emile, French horn player, instrument designer, and teacher; b. Colmar, Nov. 13, 1791; d. Paris, Aug. 28, 1867. He studied at the École des Arts et Métiers in Chalons, and then received training in horn from Dauprat at the Paris Cons, (premier prix, 1818). In 1819 he joined the orch. of the Paris Théâtre-Italien. From 1822 to 1850 he also was a member of the orch. of the Paris Opéra. In 1828 he helped to found the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire in Paris. His interest in the German valve horn led him to work with the instrument maker Labbaye in improving its performance. From 1832 to 1864 he was prof, of valve horn at the Paris Cons. At his instigation, the Gymnase Militaire was founded in 1836 as a school for army musicians. In 1848 he was awarded the cross of the Légion d’honneur. He publ. De l’étendue, de l’emploi et des ressources du cor (Paris, 1829) and Méthode de cor chromatique ou à pistons (Paris, 1840; 2nd ed., rev, 1849).
—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire