Victor Staub (1872-1953), approx. 1900.
- Profession: Pianist.
- Relation to Mahler: Worked with Gustav Mahler.
- Correspondence with Mahler:
- Born: 16-10-1872 Lima
- Died: 04-02-1953 Paris, France.
- Buried: Unknown.
Victor Staub was a French pianist. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Antoine Marmontel and Louis Diémer, gaining a first prize in piano in 1888.
Staub competed in the Anton Rubinstein prize in Berlin in 1895. He and Josef Lhévinne both played Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Sonata op. 106. In the first round of voting, Staub and Lhévinne obtained the same number of votes, but Lhévinne was ultimately awarded the 5,000 franc first prize after a second round of voting. Staub taught for five years at the conservatory in Cologne. He left Cologne in 1902 and returned to Paris.
He became a professor at the Paris Conservatoire on 21-10-1909 taking the place of Edouard Risler. Upon the death of Elie Delaborde in 1913, Gabriel Fauré chose Staub over Marguerite Long to head the Classe Supérieure for women. Staub’s female pupils included Germaine Devèze, Madeleine Giraudeau, Jacqueline Pangnier (Robin), Hélène Pignari, and Rita Savard. He also taught José Iturbi, Ernest Hoffzimmer, and Raymond Trouard. Staub retired from the Conservatoire on January 15, 1941 and was succeeded by Armand Ferté.
Victor Staub recorded Chopin’s Waltz in F, op. 34, No. 3; Debussy’s Ménéstrels; and Schumann’s Des Abends.
He composed numerous piano pieces, including most notably “Sous Bois” (1902) and “Bolero” (1924), as well as his piano arrangement of the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” by Paul Dukas. He also authored pedagogical works.
Raymond Trouard recalled: Staub could play like no one else. One morning (I had come in a little early), I saw him arrive calmly, sit down at the keyboard and perform, for himself, without any warning, Liszt’s “Feux-Follets” impeccably! Staub had memorized the Etudes Transcendantes, Chopin’s op. 10 and 25 Etudes, as well as most of the difficult works of the repertoire. Only a handful of pianists could boast of being able to do the same.”
The son of Henri Staub (Zurich 1845 – Paris 1906) and Isabelle Merey (1847-1907), Victor Staub had three sisters: Emma, Béatrice, and Sylvie. With his first wife, Blanche Marie de Orelly (1882-1906) Victor Staub had a daughter, Diana Staub (b. 1905). He then married Marie Marguerite Emilie Baneux (1882-1958) and had a daughter, Odette Blanche Staub (1908-2000). Odette was the mother of actor Jean Claudio.
Victor Staub lived at 27 rue Fourcroy, in Paris, where he also taught private lessons for “professionals, amateurs, and children”.