Marguerite Canal

Marie-Marguerite-Denise Canal (29 January 189027 January 1978) was a French conductor, music educator and composer. She was born in Toulouse into a musical family, and her father introduced her to music and poetry. She studied singing and piano at the Paris Conservatoire in 1911, and after completing her work there, became a teacher at the Conservatoire.

In 1917, she became the first woman in France to conduct an orchestra.

Works Canal composed mainly for voice and instrument performance and was noted for songs. Selected works include: Don Juan, drama, 1920 Requiem, 1921 Sonata for Violin and Piano, 1922 Le Jardin de L'Infante (A. Samain) Nell (Leconte de Lisle) Ici bas tous les lilas Meurent (Sully Prud'homme) Douceur du Soir (G. Rodenbach) Un grand sommeil noir (Verlaine) Ecoutez la chanson bien douce (Verlaine) Il pleure dans mon coeur (Verlaine) Amours triestes, song cycle Tlass alka, opera, (begun in 1922 but was never completed)

Her works have been recorded and issued on CD, including: Marguerite Canal (1890-1978) Songs, Sonata for Violin and Piano