Jeanne Loriod

French Ondes Martenot Virtuoso

Jeanne Loriod (1928–2001) was a French musician renowned for her mastery of the ondes Martenot, an early electronic musical instrument. She was one of the foremost performers on the instrument and significantly contributed to its repertoire. Loriod studied under the instrument's inventor, Maurice Martenot, and later at the Paris Conservatoire. Throughout her career, she collaborated with many prominent 20th-century composers, including Olivier Messiaen, who was her brother-in-law and wrote several pieces specifically for her. Loriod's virtuosity and dedication to the ondes Martenot led to a resurgence of interest in the instrument and its inclusion in various orchestral works. She also taught at the Conservatoire de Paris, where she trained a new generation of ondistes. Jeanne Loriod's influence extended beyond performance to recording and pedagogy, ensuring that the unique sounds of the ondes Martenot would continue to be heard in modern classical music.