On 24 March 2009, the Fondation Napoléon held the second in its series of study days aimed at improving the understanding of aspects of Napoleonic cultural history. This particular event, which took place at the Bibliothèque Marmottan in Boulogne-Billancourt, was dedicated to music in daily life in First Empire France. As well as talks given by some of the leading experts in the field, the public was also treated to some exceptional live music performances which served to illustrate the various interventions. These talks will be made available in a special edition of Napoleonica. La Revue.
"La Romance" by Laure Schnapper
The first talk was given by Laure Schnapper, and was on the subject of the “romance” genre of music (and indeed literature) that was exceptionally popular during the Empire. It was particularly so amongst female members of society, and inspired a number of composers, including Hortense de Beauharnais and the famous Sophie Gail. In essence, a sort of “chamber-opera”, the 3 couplet “romance” offered a simple melody that could be easily sung.
The soprano Véronique Chevallier was also present to offer some beautiful interpretations of one or two airs, accompanied on the piano by Peter Hicks.
Laure Schnapper is Professeur agrégé at the EHESS and specialist in music in France during the 19th century.
Véronique Chevallier studied at the Conservatoire supérieur de Genève before attending the prestigious Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. She has also worked with William Christie's “Arts florissants”, the instrument and vocal group dedicated to the performance of Baroque music.
Peter Hicks, organiser of the study-day, is the International Relations Manager at the Fondation Napoléon and Visiting Professor at the University of Bath. He received his musical education in London, then at Cambridge where he sang in Saint John's College Chapel Choir and the Bach Choir. He also sang with the 'Heinrich Strickler' madrigal group, winning equal first prize in the Marenzio Competition, Coccaglio, Italy, 1990. In 2004, for the bicentenary celebrations of Napoleon's coronation, he organized and conducted the “Messe du Sacre” by Lesueur and Païsiello in the Eglise de la Madeleine.
Véronique Chevallier: Soprano soloist
– “Bayard mourant”, Etienne Nicolas Méhul (duet with Peter Hicks)
– “Serment d'amour”, Nicolas Dalayrac
– “N'est-ce pas d'elle?”, Sophie Gail
– “Rose d'amour”, Pierre-Jean Garat
See also: Partant pour la Syrie
"La musique qui raconte l’époque", by Peter Hicks
The second talk of the day came from the atelier organiser, Peter Hicks, who discussed the little-studied musical genre, programmatic music for piano solo, during which he played three pieces of music that describe battle and genre scenes: Bernard Viguerie (la Bataille de Maringo), Jacques-Marie Beauvarlet Charpentier (Austerlitz) and Daniel Steibelt (Incendie de Moscou). The pieces, based around very expressive musical motifs, also include titles in the score that evoke different stages in the battle, such as “commandement”, “attaque”, “arrivée des ennemis”, “colonne de grenadiers enfonçant la gauche de l'ennemi”, “accents plaintiffs des blesses”, etc, which thereby 'tell the story' of the battle.
Peter Hicks: solo piano, battle and genre scenes
– Bernard Viguérie, Bataille de Maringo (sic), Pièce Militaire et Historique pour le Forte Piano avec accompagnement de violon et basse. Dédiée à l'armée de réserve.
Sections titled: “Commandement”, “Appel des Trompettes”, “Attaque”
– Jacques-Marie Beauvarlet Charpentier, Pièce militaire et historique pour le Forte-Piano avec accompagnement du Violon Précédée des Réjouissances du Camp Français pour l'anniversaire du couronnement de S. M. l'Empereur Napoléon. Dédiée à la Grande Armée. Bataille d'Austerlitz, donnée le II frimaire an 14 (2 December 1805)
Sections titled: “Accens plaintifs des blessés”, “L'empereur visite le champ de bataille”, “Son coeur magnanime est ému à ce triste spectacle”, “Walze dans le genre russe (Les soldats Français font exécuter des Walzes par les musiciens de la garde impériale russe faite prisonnière) “
– Daniel Gottlieb Steibelt, Incendie de Moscou
Sections titled: “Désespoir”, “Invocation à Dieu”, “Voeux pour la Conservation d'Alexandre (sur l'air God save the King) “, “Plainte du vaincu, sur l'air Allons enfans de la patrie”
See also: La bataille de Maringo [sic], la bataille d'Austerlitz
"Le concert instrumental" by Hervé Audéon
Hervé Audéon delivered a talk on the different aspects of the “instrumental concert”, not only musical but social and economic, which developed during the Directory period. During the Ancien Régime, these concerts had remained an aristocratic pursuit. The talk included presentations of works by Hyacinte Jadin (1776-1800) and Herold (1791-1833), who was the piano teacher to the daughters of Prince Murat.
Hervé Audéon completed his studies in music and musicology (including his PhD thesis on “Le Concerto pour piano à Paris entre 1795 et 1814) before taking the post of Chargé de recherche at the CNRS in 1998. He is particularly interested in the instrumental music in France during the 18th and 19th centuries, notably for piano and orchestra, their repertoires and the playing of these instruments.
"La vie musicale des salons impériaux de Joséphine, Elisa et Pauline", by Bernard Chevallier
In his talk, Bernard Chevallier brought to life the imperial salons of Josephine, Elisa and Pauline. The Empress Josephine was a musician and music lover and did a great deal for the promotion of the musical arts during the reign of her husband. In 1805, she brought the composer Spontini to Paris, where he entered her service. Hortense de Beauharnais, Josephine's daughter, was a recognized composer herself, and Elisa was patron to Giovanni Païsiello (1714-1816), who dedicated to her his opera Proserpine (1803). These private salons were the opportunity for the elite members of society to experience the music of composers and professional singers (including Pierre-Jean Garat, the famous baritone), but also gifted amateurs, such as the wives of General Moreau (piano) and Maréchal Ney (voice). Once again, this talk was illustrated with singing from Véronique Chevallier.
Between 1989 and 2008, Bernard Chevallier was Director of the Musée National du Château de Malmaison, as well as its “annexes” (Bois-Préau, the Maison Bonaparte in Ajaccio, the Musée Napoléonien et Africain on the Ile d'Aix, and the Collection des domaines français on St. Helena) and is the current Vice-President of the Fondation Napoléon.
Peter Hicks: piano and voice
– Hortense de Beauharnais, “Partant pour la Syrie”
Véronique Chevallier: Soprano soloist
– Blangini, Six ariettes italiennes avec accompagnement de piano-forte composées et dédiées à Madame la Maréchale Ney par Felix Blangini, Maitre de Chapelle de S.A.S Electorale Palatine de Bavière, Paris s.d.
Arietta 4 “Ah pour une autre belle”
Arietta 3 “Ah belle Corisandre”
Arietta 5 “Mi sento il cor trafiggere”
See also: Partant pour la Syrie
"La musique d’église", by Yves Bruley
Yves Bruley presented a talk on the different varieties of church music during the period. The signature of the Concordat between the Catholic Church and Napoleon in 1801 allowed church music to take back its place in society. Whilst this was no return to the grandiose music of the Ancien Régime, nevertheless song and voice once again filled the churches and accompanied religious life in France. In 1804, Giovanni Païsiello (1731-1816) was replaced by Jean-François Lesueur (1760-1837) as master of music at the Tuileries, in charge of the compositions for official ceremonies.
Peter Hicks and six singers from St. George's Anglican Church in Paris performed an excerpt from a mass from the period.
Yves Bruley is Professeur agrégé in history, Chargé de mission at the Académie des sciences morales et politiques and Maître de conférences at Sciences-Po.
The Choir of St George's Anglican Church, Paris, with Stephen Razafindratsima: Tenor soloist
– “In media nocte”, Air de ténor et choeur, by Jean-François Lesueur, from his 3eme Messe Solennelle.
See also: The music from Napoleon's consecration and coronation, concert held at the Eglise de la Madeleine (2004)
"L’opéra italien", by Jean Mongrédien
Jean Mongrédien described the place held by Italian opera in France, a musical genre that was greatly appreciated by the Emperor. Brought to France by Mazarin, Italian opera was nevertheless preferred in its “buffa” form rather than its “seria” form, which was essentially swept away by the Revolution. In 1801, a troop of Italian actors came to Paris where they received the support of Bonaparte (at one point receiving 120,000 Francs per year). Between ten and twenty operas “buffa” were written each year (the majority of which were translated into French due to the public not understanding Italian). In 1810, after receiving permission from Napoleon, the opera “seria” made its return to Paris with Pirro, composed by Païsiello in 1787. Music was the source for much debate in French society: one such example was the reception accorded to Mozart's music, which although heavily criticised by music critics (who remained principally conservative in their tastes), was exceptionally popular amongst musicians, singers, teachers and the general public, who were more open to change and innovation. This talk also included a number of airs by Païsiello, sung by Véronique Chevallier.
Jean Mongrédién is the former Chaire d'histoire de la musique française des XVIIIe et XIX siècles and in 2008 published Le Théâtre-Italien de Paris, 1801-1831.
Véronique Chevallier: Soprano soloist
– “Felice Pastorella”, Giovanni Paisiello, air from Gli Schiavi per amore
– “Rien ne peut calmer ma peine” Giovanni Paisiello, (words by M. Moline), air from the Barbier de Séville
– “Chi mi mostra, chi m'addita dova sta il mio dolce amore”, Giovanni Paisiello, air from Gli Schiavi per amore
"L’opéra de Paris", by David Chaillou
The final talk of the day was given by David Chaillou who described the role of the Opera in Paris in imperial propaganda and how major events and heroes from antiquity were celebrate and glorify the Empire and the Emperor (for example, Spontini's 1809 opera Fernando Cortes ou la conquête du Mexique which was intended to celebrate Napoleon's conquest of Spain).
David Chaillou is a musician and composer as well as maître de conferences at the Université d'Artois. In 2004, he won the Grand Prix de la Fondation Napoléon for his work, Napoléon et l'Opéra, la politique sur la scène (1800-1815).
See also: Napoléon et l'Opéra, la politique sur la scène (1800-1815), by David Chaillou
Partnerships:
Click here to listen to the atelier in full, including all the talks given by the experts and the musical interludes and extracts (external link in French). While the texts are in French, the musical performances are nevertheless well-worth investigating.
This second atelier de la Fondation Napoléon was organised in partnership with:
– The Bibliothèque Marmottan (external link in French), in Boulogne-Billancourt, which provided the location, reception, and technical management of the musical performances, for which we thank Madame Nathalie Baucher.
– The magazine Connaissance des Arts (external link in French), which carried out the audio recording of the day's talks, soon to be available on their website and through www.napoleon.org.