Gustave Vogt


Gustave Vogt was a French oboist and composer.

Biography

Born in Strasbourg, Vogt followed his parents to Paris at a very young age, where he entered the Conservatoire de Paris on 7 July 1798 and became a pupil of François Sallantin for oboe. He made such rapid progress that he was awarded the First Prize of this instrument at the end of the following year. He later attended the harmony course of Jean-Baptiste Rey at the same school.
He entered the orchestra of the Théâtre Montansier as second oboe in 1798, then left the orchestra and went on to join that of the Ambigu-Comique, from where he passed, on 31 May 1801, to the Comédie Italienne of the Theatre de la victoire, as its first oboe. Vogt then followed Emperor Napoleon as oboist of the music of the Imperial Guard during the 1805 campaign. At the same time as the Battle of Austerlitz, he met Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven in Vienna. Back in Paris, he was the first oboe of the Théâtre Feydeau and kept this post until 1814. He then joined the Paris Opera as successor of his master Sallantin. He remained there until 1854, the time of his retirement.
After he became a member of the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire at the time of his institution in 1838, he was attached to it as its first oboe until 1844. In 1835, he was called to London for the season as first oboe of the Philharmonic Society. In 1838, Vogt made a second trip to London and spent the season there, sought after for his talent in all musical societies. Back in Paris, he returned to his position as first oboe of the Société des concerts du Conservatoire, where he was as much noticed by the beauty of the sound he derived from the instrument as by the quality of his performance.
As early as 1808, he had been appointed assistant professor of oboe at the Conservatory, where he became a full professor during the new organization of 1816. He formed there all the French oboists who made a name for themselves at that time, particularly Henri Brod, Stanislas Verroust, Vinit, Barré, Lavigne, de La Barre and many others. Appointed first oboe of the King's Chapell in 1815, he retained this position until the 1830 July Revolution. In 1839, he was awarded the Order of the Légion d'honneur. Vogt retired from teaching at the Conservatory in 1853.

Works