Anton Simon - Romance, Op.1/1

Romance sans paroles - from a set of 2 pieces. Simon (1850-1916) was a French composer, director and pianist, who made most of his career in Russia. Born in Paris, Antoine Simon studied at Conservatoire de Paris in the piano class of Antoine François Marmontel and the composition class of Jules Duprato. Aged 21, Antoine Simon left for Moscow where he settled permanently. He was hired as a composer (Kapellmeister) for the Théâtre des Bouffes in Moscow and taught the piano for musical classes of the Philharmonic Society of Moscow. In 1897, he was appointed inspector of orchestras of the imperial theaters. Antoine Simon was one of the few composers in Russia at the time to create works for wind instruments such as the quartet-like sonata Op. 23 for two cornets, horn and trombone, or his twenty-two small pieces for ensemble, Op. 26, composed in 1887. Simon also composed three operas and a number of piano pieces. His Piano Concerto in A major, Op. 19 met with some success, as did his Clarinet Concerto, Op. 31 and his Fantaisie concertante for cello and orchestra, Op. 42. He also composed a Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 16, a String Quartet in A major, Op. 24, etc.