Alexandre-Étienne Choron
Encyclopedia
Alexandre-Étienne Choron (born Caen
, 21 October 1771; died Paris
, 29 June 1834) for a short time directed the Paris Opera
. He played an essential role in France in making a clear distinction between sacred and secular music, and was one of the originators of French interest in musicology.
, followed by lessons in harmony from abbé Roze and Bonesi. Bonesi familiarized him with Italian music and the treatises on fugue
and strict counterpoint
of Nicolo Sala (1701-1800). He drew from these his book Principes d'accompagnement des écoles d'Italie. He learned German, studied musical treatises in that language, then undertook to reform all branches of musical activity.
A professor of mathematics at the École Polytechnique
since its founding, then a corresponding member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts
, Choron was charged in 1811 with reorganizing the choir schools with the title of Director of Music of Religious Ceremonies.
Named director ("régisseur") of the Paris Opéra on 18 January 1816, he instituted the reopening of the Paris Conservatory
, which had been closed since 1815, under the name of École royale de chant et de déclamation. But on 30 March 1817 he was forced to resign the directorship of the Opera, without a pension, as a result of having wanted to make too many radical changes.
In 1817, he founded and directed the Institution royale de musique classique et religieuse. Its influence was considerable. It trained or influenced some of the most important artists of this era, notably the celebrated singers Gilbert Duprez
and Rosine Stoltz, and the actress Rachel Felix. It published and had performed publicly very old choral works, including those of Palestrina
, Bach
et Handel.
With the July Revolution
in 1830, the government withdrew his subsidies, and the institution ran into grave difficulties. Choron died soon thereafter, in 1834. The institution was resuscitated under the name of Conservatoire royal de musique classique de France or École Niedermeyer by Louis Niedermeyer
, who thus ensured the transmission of the principles and teachings of Choron.
Choron published numerous musical works. He also left behind his voluminous papers, preserved at the Bibliothèque nationale de France
.
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
, 21 October 1771; died Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 29 June 1834) for a short time directed the Paris Opera
Paris Opera
The Paris Opera is the primary opera company of Paris, France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and renamed the Académie Royale de Musique...
. He played an essential role in France in making a clear distinction between sacred and secular music, and was one of the originators of French interest in musicology.
Biography
Choron studied mathematics at the collège de Juilly. Since his father had forbidden him to study music, he taught himself the theories of Jean-Philippe RameauJean-Philippe Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau was one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the Baroque era. He replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of French opera and is also considered the leading French composer for the harpsichord of his time, alongside François...
, followed by lessons in harmony from abbé Roze and Bonesi. Bonesi familiarized him with Italian music and the treatises on fugue
Fugue
In music, a fugue is a compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject that is introduced at the beginning in imitation and recurs frequently in the course of the composition....
and strict counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
of Nicolo Sala (1701-1800). He drew from these his book Principes d'accompagnement des écoles d'Italie. He learned German, studied musical treatises in that language, then undertook to reform all branches of musical activity.
A professor of mathematics at the École Polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
since its founding, then a corresponding member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts
Académie des beaux-arts
The Académie des Beaux-Arts is a French learned society. It is one of the five academies of the Institut de France.It was created in 1795 as the merger of the:* Académie de peinture et de sculpture...
, Choron was charged in 1811 with reorganizing the choir schools with the title of Director of Music of Religious Ceremonies.
Named director ("régisseur") of the Paris Opéra on 18 January 1816, he instituted the reopening of the Paris Conservatory
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
, which had been closed since 1815, under the name of École royale de chant et de déclamation. But on 30 March 1817 he was forced to resign the directorship of the Opera, without a pension, as a result of having wanted to make too many radical changes.
In 1817, he founded and directed the Institution royale de musique classique et religieuse. Its influence was considerable. It trained or influenced some of the most important artists of this era, notably the celebrated singers Gilbert Duprez
Gilbert Duprez
Gilbert Duprez was a French tenor, singing teacher and minor composer who famously pioneered the delivery of the operatic high C from the chest. He also created the role of Edgardo in the popular bel canto-era opera Lucia di Lammermoor in 1835.-Biography:Gilbert-Louis Duprez, to give his full...
and Rosine Stoltz, and the actress Rachel Felix. It published and had performed publicly very old choral works, including those of Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition...
, Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
et Handel.
With the July Revolution
July Revolution
The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution or in French, saw the overthrow of King Charles X of France, the French Bourbon monarch, and the ascent of his cousin Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, who himself, after 18 precarious years on the throne, would in turn be overthrown...
in 1830, the government withdrew his subsidies, and the institution ran into grave difficulties. Choron died soon thereafter, in 1834. The institution was resuscitated under the name of Conservatoire royal de musique classique de France or École Niedermeyer by Louis Niedermeyer
Louis Niedermeyer
Abraham Louis Niedermeyer was a composer chiefly of church music but also of a few operas, and a teacher who took over the Ecole Choron, duly renamed École Niedermeyer, a school for the study and practice of church music, where several eminent French musicians studied including Gabriel Fauré and...
, who thus ensured the transmission of the principles and teachings of Choron.
Choron published numerous musical works. He also left behind his voluminous papers, preserved at the Bibliothèque nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
.
Works
- 1808: Principes de composition des écoles d’Italie (based on N. Sala)
- 1810–11, revised 1817: Dictionnaire historique des musiciens, artistes et amateurs, morts ou vivants (with F. Fayolle)
- 1811: Méthode élémentaire de musique et de plain-chant
- 1813: Revised and augmented edition of Traité général des voix et des instruments d'orchestre by L. Francoeur
- 1814-16: translations of theoretical works of AlbrechtsbergerJohann Georg AlbrechtsbergerJohann Georg Albrechtsberger was an Austrian musician who was born at Klosterneuburg, near Vienna.He originally studied music at Melk Abbey and philosophy at a Benedictine seminary in Vienna and became one of the most learned and skillful contrapuntists of his age...
and F. Azopardi - 1820: Méthode concertante à 3 parties
- 1820: Méthode de chant
- 1836-39: Manuel complet de musique vocale et instrumentale, ou Encyclopédie musicale (with la Fage)