Jules Massenet

Jules Massenet is a Compositeur French, born with Montaud, close to Saint-Etienne the May 12th 1842 and died with Paris the August 13rd 1912.

Biography

Wire of Alexis Massenet, industrialist manufacturing of the blades of false with Bridge-Solomon, close to Saint-Etienne, Jules Massenet lived in Paris as of 1848, entered to the Conservatoire of Paris at eleven years, obtained a first price of Piano in 1859 then gained Large the Prix of Rome in 1863 thanks to his Cantate David Rizzio . He met on this occasion Franz Liszt which required of him to assist it in its tasks of teaching. Three years later, it regained Paris and was there its first successes with the opera S: Grand' Aunt , Gift César de Bazan , Marie-Magdeleine and the King de Lahore . In 1878, it was named professor with the Academy and counted Gustave Charpentier, Ernest Chausson, Georges Enesco, Henry February, Charles Koechlin, Albéric Magnard, Gabriel Pierné and Florent Schmitt among his pupils.

In 1884 was created its very popular Manon , opera according to the novel Manon Lescaut of the Abbé Prévost. Its most famous operas are Don Quichotte, Hérodiade, Cid, the Juggler of Notre-Dame and, more still, Werther - according to the Sufferings of the young person Werther of Goethe. Thai , with its superb Solo of violin of the second act religious Meditation , known under the name of Meditation of Thais , is famous but, surrounded by a sulfurous reputation, this opera was success only one decade after its creation. The influence of Massenet on the type-setters of operas feels, for example, at Ruggero Leoncavallo, Pietro Mascagni, Giacomo Puccini or in the Pelléas and Mélisande of Claude Debussy.

Its labor force was impressive. It was able to compose of many hours of at a stretch; its days started at four o'clock in the morning, alternating compositions, lesson and hearings. It left primarily lyric work (twenty-five operas) but such a pianistic and symphonic. It also was very influenced by the religious subjects and was often regarded as the heir to Charles Gounod.

Principal works

; Operas

the two stock-brokers (1859)
Esmerelda (1865)
Noureddin (1865)
Valéria (1865)
Grand' Aunt (1867)
Cut of the king de Thulé (1867)
the Florentin (1868)
Manfred (1869)
Jellyfish (1870)
Gift César de Bazan (1872)
Templiers (1873)
Marie-Magdeleine (Drama crowned 1873 /sous forms lyric drama: 1903)
Adorable Bel'-Boul' (1874)
Bérangère and Anatole (1876)
the King de Lahore (1877)
Robert de France (1880)
Hérodiade (1881)
Of Gironde the (1881)
Montalte (1883)
Hérodiade (1884)
Manon (1884)
Cid (1885)
Gift César of Bazan (1888)
Esclarmonde (1889)
the Magus (1891)
Werther (1892)
Kassya (1893)
Thai (1894)
the Portrait of Manon (1894)
the Navarrese (1894)
Sapho (1897)
Cinderella (1899)
Grisélidis (1901)
the Juggler of Notre-Dame (1902)
Chérubin (1905)
ARIANE (1906)
Therese (1907)
Bacchus (1909)
Don Quichotte (1910)
Roma (1912)
Panurge (1913)
Cléopâtre (1914)
Amadis (1922)

To discover Massenet

Werther by Tatiana Troyanos, Alfredo Kraus and the London Philharmonic Orchestrated , directed by Michel Plasson. This recording combines the advantages of a recognized artistic quality, a technical good quality and one generous duration. However, the present suggestion reflects only the opinion of a wikipedist and could not be regarded as an indisputable reference, as well with regard to the choice of work as that of its interpretation.
Works for piano by Aldo Ciccolini and the National orchestra of the Opera of Monte Carlo, directed by Sylvain Cambreling (2 CD EMI). Excellent interpretation by the burning defender of the French music for piano, which contributed to make known the works little played such as those of Massenet but also of Déodat de Séverac, Chabrier and Satie.

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