French conductor Louis Frémaux, Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra between 1979 and 1981, has died aged 95.

The SSO conductor, whose performances UK music critic Noel Goodwin described as “frequently distinguished by freshness, suppleness and, in the French repertory, an airy brilliance,” led the Orchestra in the years before Charles Mackerras took over as Chief.

SSO Principal Trombone Ronald Prussing, who was hired during Féraux’s tenure, shared his memories of the conductor with Limelight.

“I distinctly recall how elegant he was as a conductor on the podium,” Prussing said. “He was very French. He wasn’t boisterous but he was quite clear.”

“He was very, very good at the French repertoire, particularly things like the Organ Symphony of Saint-Saëns – the Bizet Symphony in C he was very good at,” he said. “And a little bit of English music, too – he did a very, very good Walton Symphony No 1 which was really quite stunning. I think he did that as a guest and on that basis was considered for Chief Conductor.”

Frémaux was born in Air-sur-la-Lys, France in 1921 and studied at the Valenciennes Conservatoire. His musical education was interrupted by the Second World War, however, in...