Gallay was a noted French horn player who made his debut at the age of fourteen. By the age of twenty-three he was the director of the musical society in Perpignan whereupon he entered the Paris Conservatoire at 25 to study with Draupart (1820). By 1842 Gallay succeeded Draupart at the University only after having played in the Odeon orchestra, the Theatre Italien, and becoming the first horn for the royal chapel. The last major horn player to come out of France, Gallay left an indelible mark with his "Methode complete pour le cor" and his "Preludes mesures et non mesures." The former was a treatise uniquely useful for its techniques to develope the upper-middle register of the player. The later, which today is not only relevant but available as well, are pieces for the French horn performer. In all Gallay composed 12 horn concertos and a number of studies and chamber pieces. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi