Charles Gounod

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Charles Gounod.
Charles Gounod.

Charles-François Gounod (June 18, 1818 – October 18, 1893) was a French composer, best known for his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Gounod was born in Paris, the son of a pianist mother and a draftsman father. His mother was his first piano teacher. Under her tutelage Gounod first showed his musical talents. He entered the Paris Conservatoire where he studied under Fromental Halévy.

He won the Prix de Rome in 1839 for his cantata Ferdinand.

He subsequently went to Italy where he studied the music of Palestrina. He concentrated on religious music of the sixteenth century.

Gounod eventually returned to Paris and composed the "Messe Sollennelle", also known as the "Saint Cecilia Mass". This work was first performed in London during 1851 and began his reputation as a noteworthy composer.

Caricature from Punch, 1882.
Caricature from Punch, 1882.

Gounod wrote his first opera, Sappho, in 1851, but had no great success until Faust (1859), based on the play by Goethe. This remains his best-known work. The romantic and highly melodious Roméo et Juliette (based on the Shakespeare play), premiered in 1867, is also performed and recorded regularly. The charming and highly individual Mireille of 1864 is admired by connoisseurs.

There is some controversy surrounding "Faust". Many critics believed it was a far advancement over Gounod's prior works. One critic stated his doubt that Gounod composed it, which prompted Gounod to challenge the critic to a duel. The critic withdrew his statement.[citation needed]

From 1870 to 1875 Gounod lived in England, becoming the first conductor of what is now the Royal Choral Society. Much of Gounod's music from this time is vocal or choral in nature.

Later in his life, Gounod wrote much religious music, including a musical setting of Ave Maria based on the first prelude from Book I of the Well-Tempered Clavier by J.S. Bach. He also devoted himself to chamber music, composing four string quartets.

Gounod died in 1893 in Saint-Cloud, France.

Gounod's Funeral March of a Marionette (1873) was used as the theme music for the television program Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962) and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965).

[edit] Works

Thought-form of the music of Charles Gounod, according to Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater in Thought Forms (1901).
Thought-form of the music of Charles Gounod, according to Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater in Thought Forms (1901).

[edit] Operas

[edit] Oratorios

  • Tobie (c. 1866)
  • Gallia (1871)
  • Jésus sur le lac de Tibériade (1878)
  • La Rédemption (1882) (commissioned for, and premiered at the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival)
  • Christus factus est (1883)
  • Mors et Vita (1884)

[edit] Symphonies

  • Symphony No. 1 in D major (1855)
  • Symphony No. 2 in E flat major
  • Symphony No. 3 (Little Symphony for Wind Instruments, see below)

[edit] Chamber music

  • String Quartet in a minor (Old No.3)
  • String Quartet No.1 in C minor "Le petit quatuor"
  • String Quartet No.2 in A Major
  • String Quartet No.3 in F Major
  • Petite Symphonie (Petite Symphonie pour instruments à vent)

[edit] Sources

  • Sadie, S. (ed.) (1980) The New Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians, [vol. # 7].

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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