Horace Poussard
Encyclopedia
Horace Remi Poussard was a French
violinist and composer.
Poussard was born in Château-Gontier
in France, the son of music teacher and conductor Charles Francois Poussard. Horace studied at the Conservatoire de Paris
, graduating with the First Class prize in violin in 1849 with a performance of a Viotti Concerto (reviewed in 'La Vigie de l'Ouest', 124, 14 Sept 1849). In the 1850s he began his career as a professional violinist with concerts in Paris, Vienna
, and Constantinople
. He also travelled through Hungary
, Greece
, Wallacia, and the British Isles
. In 1860 he appeared in London
, along with a fellow French 'cellist, Rene Douay. In 1861 Poussard and Douay sailed to Australia
, and gave their first concerts there in Melbourne
. They toured the goldfields and major towns in the States of Victoria
and South Australia
before going to the South Island
of New Zealand
. During this period, their repertoire consisted mainly of more popular pieces, easily recognised by the inhabitants of the newly emerging country. To commemorate the exploration (and death) of Burke and Wills
on their journey across Australia, Poussard wrote "The Dead Heroes," a musical poem of 17 stanza
s incorporating well known existing tunes. It was a great hit with audiences.
In 1864, Douay, who was suffering from a mental illness, "went mad" while in Melbourne and was shipped back to France, there to remain in an asylum for the rest of his life. Horace and a musical comedy singer named Florence Beverley (Florence Calzado) left Australia for a 4 year tour of India
and South Africa
, linking up with Robert Smythe (a manager) and his wife Amelia Bailey (soprano). The so-called Poussard-Bailey Opera Company gave more than 300 performances in this period as well as coping with the difficulties of travel by land and sea.
Poussard returned to France in December 1868 and continued performing in France and the British Isles. He played in the Royal Court of Empress Eugénie
and with Giovanni Bottesini
, the celebrated double-bass player. He married an Opera Comique
singer, Louise Felicie Jean (Lottie Montal) in London in 1874 and in 1883 returned to Australia where they performed and where he increasingly taught piano and violin. His last tour was to New Zealand in 1890, and he died in Sydney
in 1898.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
violinist and composer.
Poussard was born in Château-Gontier
Château-Gontier
Château-Gontier is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It is about south of Laval, the préfecture of the department of Mayenne. Château-Gontier is home to the Refuge de l'Arche, a refuge for abandoned or mistreated animals.-People:...
in France, the son of music teacher and conductor Charles Francois Poussard. Horace studied at the Conservatoire de Paris
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...
, graduating with the First Class prize in violin in 1849 with a performance of a Viotti Concerto (reviewed in 'La Vigie de l'Ouest', 124, 14 Sept 1849). In the 1850s he began his career as a professional violinist with concerts in Paris, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, and Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. He also travelled through Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Wallacia, and the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. In 1860 he appeared in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, along with a fellow French 'cellist, Rene Douay. In 1861 Poussard and Douay sailed to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and gave their first concerts there in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. They toured the goldfields and major towns in the States of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
before going to the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. During this period, their repertoire consisted mainly of more popular pieces, easily recognised by the inhabitants of the newly emerging country. To commemorate the exploration (and death) of Burke and Wills
Burke and Wills expedition
In 1860–61, Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills led an expedition of 19 men with the intention of crossing Australia from Melbourne in the south to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north, a distance of around 3,250 kilometres...
on their journey across Australia, Poussard wrote "The Dead Heroes," a musical poem of 17 stanza
Stanza
In poetry, a stanza is a unit within a larger poem. In modern poetry, the term is often equivalent with strophe; in popular vocal music, a stanza is typically referred to as a "verse"...
s incorporating well known existing tunes. It was a great hit with audiences.
In 1864, Douay, who was suffering from a mental illness, "went mad" while in Melbourne and was shipped back to France, there to remain in an asylum for the rest of his life. Horace and a musical comedy singer named Florence Beverley (Florence Calzado) left Australia for a 4 year tour of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, linking up with Robert Smythe (a manager) and his wife Amelia Bailey (soprano). The so-called Poussard-Bailey Opera Company gave more than 300 performances in this period as well as coping with the difficulties of travel by land and sea.
Poussard returned to France in December 1868 and continued performing in France and the British Isles. He played in the Royal Court of Empress Eugénie
Eugénie de Montijo
Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, 16th Countess of Teba and 15th Marquise of Ardales; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920), known as Eugénie de Montijo , was the last Empress consort of the French from 1853 to 1871 as the wife of Napoleon III, Emperor of...
and with Giovanni Bottesini
Giovanni Bottesini
Giovanni Bottesini was an Italian Romantic composer, conductor, and a double bass virtuoso.-Biography:Born in Crema, Lombardy, he was taught the rudiments of music by his father, an accomplished clarinetist and composer, at a young age and had played timpani in Crema with the Teatro Sociale before...
, the celebrated double-bass player. He married an Opera Comique
Opera Comique
The Opera Comique was a 19th-century theatre constructed in Westminster, London, between Wych Street and Holywell Street with entrances on the East Strand. It opened in 1870 and was demolished in 1902, to make way for the construction of the Aldwych and Kingsway...
singer, Louise Felicie Jean (Lottie Montal) in London in 1874 and in 1883 returned to Australia where they performed and where he increasingly taught piano and violin. His last tour was to New Zealand in 1890, and he died in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1898.