Holoman: The Société des Concerts du Conservatoire

The Sociétaires solo

The designation sociétaire solo was originally created in order to have a category for celebrated performers who were expected to appear when invited but not otherwise to attend the functions required of all other members. Most were enrolled in the registers with matriculation numbers, though a few (Roger, Massol, Mme Viardot) were simply mentioned in the minutes. The practice disappeared in the 1850s and was replaced in the 1880s by the system of naming the principal players solo.

Instrumentalists

Singers

From time to time important friends of the Société des Concerts, usually frequent guest soloists, were named sociétaire honoraire—a different category, of course, than the honorary membership accorded members on their retirement

Gabrielle Krauss, soprano (AG 15 May 1870)
Louis Diémer, piano (AG 30 May 1899)
E. M. Delaborde, piano (AG 1906)
Édouard Lachanaud, trumpet (562, retired in 1912 as m. h.), for covering Emmanuel Chaine's "defection" in 1919 (Com. 20 April 1920)
Walter Damrosch, conductor, on the occasion of the New York Symphony's Paris appearances, May 1920 (Com. viva voce 8 May, recorded 11 May 1920)
Jascha Heifetz, violin (Com. 21 February 1926), in the foyer after the splendid concert of that evening
Mme Louise Maillot (donor, 28 Mya 1929)
Zino Francescatti (8 May 1935), donated his fee to the musicians' fund
Georges Enesco (5 May 1936)