Conductor Matthew Aubin speaks with US correspondent Thomas May about his ongoing revival of the 20th-century French composer Fernande Decruck.

For decades, French composer Fernande Decruck (1896–1954) was known only for her Sonata in C-sharp for alto saxophone, a staple of the classical saxophone repertoire. Many of her compositions were left unpublished at her untimely death at the age of 57 and sank into oblivion. 

Enter the orchestral thought leader and conductor Matthew Aubin, who first encountered the name Decruck’s music in 2009, when he heard a saxophonist perform the Sonata. What began as curiosity turned into a years-long mission to recover and champion the music of this remarkable yet overlooked composer. 

Aubin has since unearthed and revived many of Decruck’s works, including orchestral and chamber pieces beyond her well-known saxophone repertoire. Together with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra in Michigan, of which he is music director, Aubin recently recorded the second volume in a series of concertante works by Decruck on the Claves label; volume 1 appeared in 2022.

Concertante Works, Volume 2 presents the world premiere recording of four of Decruck’s orchestral works, including her Cello Concerto (1932), with soloist Jeremy Crosmer, and a version of the Saxophone Sonata arranged for viola and orchestra, featuring Mitsuru Kubo in the solo part. The album pairs these string concerti with The Trianons: Suite for Harpsichord (or Piano) and Orchestra (1946), showcasing Mahan Esfahani at the keyboard, and The Bells of Vienna: Suite of Waltzes (1935). 

From a string player’s perspective, according to Jeremy Crosmer, ’Decruck writes with very traditional and idiomatic flourishes: fanfare-like statements in the solo part of the Cello Concerto to open bombastic movements, followed by moments of agility in scales that span the entire instrument.’ Decruck combines this, Crosmer adds, ’with modern, colour-driven moments, highlighting her place in the 20th century.’

To mark the new release, Matthew Aubin spoke with The Strad about Decruck’s life and distinctive voice, and about why he believes her work is long overdue for the spotlight.

How did you first discover Fernande Decruck’s music?

Matthew Aubin: I had been asked to judge the woodwind division of a concerto competition. One of the saxophone players performed Decruck’s sonata, and I leaned over to the saxophone professor and asked: ‘Who is this composer?’ It was such a beautiful piece. She explained that it’s part of the standard saxophone repertoire but didn’t know much about her beyond that. To her, Decruck was a one-hit wonder.

Several years later, I was shocked to find mention of all the other music Decruck had written – chamber music, orchestral music, choral works. I had a French friend help me write emails, and in 2013 I connected with her family and learned how rich Decruck’s career had been in the 1930s and 1940s. She was performed and commissioned by orchestras in both France and the U.S. But then a series of circumstances led her into complete obscurity.

What caused her music to disappear?

Matthew Aubin: A few things. First, she divorced her husband, which, at the time, had major consequences. It limited her ability to make money, even to have her own bank account. Then, shortly after that, Decruck had a series of strokes and passed away.

Her three children weren’t in a position to advocate for her music. The oldest were in their 20s, focused on their own careers and families. The youngest son was just 16 or 17 when she died, estranged from his father, and left without support. No one was there to push her legacy forward.

When I visited her family in 2013, they still had eight boxes of manuscripts – original scores, full orchestral parts. I started returning to France every year to scan and catalog the music. The more I explored, the more I realised how special Decruck was. I’ve been working with her publisher, Éditions Billaudot, on critical editions of these works, and there’s been renewed interest in expanding her catalog.

What defines Decruck’s musical style?

Matthew Aubin: What fascinates me is that she had multiple styles. In her saxophone sonata, which she later adapted for viola, you hear classic French harmonic language – influences of Debussy and Ravel, and virtuosic writing, particularly for woodwinds. [..]

The Strad, March 2025

Read the full interview: The Strad

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