Rhené-Baton

thumb|Rhené-Baton photographed by Nadar (photographer)|Nadar c.1910 René-Emmanuel Baton, known as Rhené-Baton (5 September 1879 – 23 September 1940), was a French conductor and composer. Though born in Courseulles-sur-Mer, Normandy, his family originated in Vitré in neighbouring Brittany. He returned to the region at the age of 19, and many of his compositions express his love of the area. He also had close relationships with composers of the Breton cultural renaissance, notably Guy Ropartz, Paul Le Flem, Paul Ladmirault and Louis Aubert. As a conductor he was notable for his attempts to expand appreciation of classical music.

==Conducting career== He studied piano at the Paris Conservatory and learned music theory under André Gedalge. He began his career as a chef de chant at the Opera-Comique in 1907. He was then appointed as musical director of various orchestral groups, notably the Society of Saint Cecilia in Bordeaux and Angers Société populaire (1910–1912).