The Lorée Company
The famous French oboe manufacturing company Lorée was founded in 1881 by François Lorée, ex-foreman of Triébert Oboe Company. Lucien, the son of François – to whom he passed on his knowledge and expertise -, took over the firm upon François’ death in 1902.
Mentored by the renowned Paris Conservatoire oboe teacher Georges Gillet, Lucien Lorée modernized the oboe and introduced several new inventions. The famous “Conservatoire Plateau System” was one of these, and from 1906 onwards it was rapidly adopted by soloists around the world. Instrument manufacturer Raymond Dubois acquired the firm in 1925, but Lucien Lorée still took an active part in production.
Robert de Gourdon, Mr. Dubois’ son-in-law, joined the firm in 1935 and worked in collaboration with Lucien Lorée. In 1967, Robert de Gourdon began to share his knowledge and expertise with his son, Alain, who is now President of the firm.
En 1974, Alain de Gourdon took over Cabart, which became the trademark for the student oboe line, prized for its perfect tuning and high quality. Upon the request of several teachers desiring to enable younger children to learn oboe, the firm released the “Cabart Petites Mains” oboe. This model is lighter and has a simplified key system for children with a shorter reach, making it ideal for younger beginners.
Thanks to the Company’s brilliant innovations and high standards of instrument manufacturing, a new masterpiece – “Le Royal” – was created and introduced in 1989. Combining reliability with aesthetic and tonal beauty, “Le Royal” remains the gold standard of oboes throughout the world.
In 2006, to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the F.Lorée firm and the 100-year anniversary of the “Conservatoire Plateau System”, a “limited series” of Royal oboes was introduced. In 2013 a new model – the “Etoile” – was added to the prestigious lineup of the Lorée instruments.
