Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny

Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny is a Compositeur French contemporary of Mozart, member of the Académie of the Art schools (1813), born with Fauquembergues (Pas-de-Calais) the October 17th 1729 and died in Paris the January 14th 1817.

By its music full with spirit, freshness and sometimes naive charm, he manages to structure what was only one compromise between the Comédie and the opera. He appears then like the principal precursor with André Grétry and François-Andre Philidor of a new kind: the Op3era Comique.

It opens thus the way with Boïeldieu, Auber, Gounod, Bizet, Massenet… with all those which, by their talent of type-setter, managed to illustrate this quite French kind successfully.

Paul Dukas will even declare: “Of all the type-setters of our country, it is perhaps the first which had the gift of the true emotion, human, of the communicative expression and the feeling right… ”.

Biography

It is in the back country bolted, in direction Surface-on-the-Lily, precisely with Fauquembergues, which is born, on October 17th 1729, Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny, four months before the legitimated union of his/her parents, Marie-Antoinette Dufresne and Nicolas Monsigny. If they are both originating in Desvres, the remote paternal roots are perfectly Latin.

According to certain sources, Marc di Mancini, fearing the vendetta following a duel where it kills one of his companions, leaves the Sardinia to flee towards the Spanish Netherlands. It is at the first years of the 16th century that the family settles in Artois. Under the reign of Louis XIV, the Monsigny , whose name was francized, knows certain an apogee, as well by their notoriety as by their fortune. This one declines alas little by little. They give up thus, well before the Révolution, their blazon and their particle.

Much less concerned of the past tormented of her aïeux, than of education its offspring, Nicolas Monsigny send her son to the College of the Walloon Jesuits of Saint-Omer. In addition to usual rigorous teaching, Pierre-Alexandre discovers without sorrow the rudiments of the musical theory, helped in that by an obvious gift. He improves in what will become its Art: the music becomes an obsession which is perhaps not taste of his/her father who will die only in 1758." If I went to Paris, I would make fortune" there; Pierre Alexandre repeated unceasingly. In 1749, It decides to leave for the capital with for any luggage a few ecus out of pocket, a violin, and a letter of introduction. It enters thus to Mr. of Saint-Julien, in the offices of the accountancy of the Clergy of France. If it then gains sufficient money to provide for the needs for its close relations, the capital makes it possible especially to him to more stimulate its passion for the music. During the year 1752, at the conclusion of a representation of Serva padrona of Pergolèse to the Opera, it does not contain its enthusiasm. This work decides its vocation. Daring, he wants to try a deep change in the musical art of his time. He becomes the pupil of Gianotti, double bass player with the Opera, author of a Guide of Composition. Five months of lessons are enough so that its astonishing provisions enable him to apply this teaching.

It is in secrecy, on a booklet of Ribardière, which he writes the indiscreet Consents , its first Op3era Comique, presented to the theater of the Saint-Germain Fair on February 7th 1759. This work gains warm welcome what encourages it to compose a second of it, in two acts, over a text of Pierre-Rene Lemmonier. the Master in right knows, the following year, same ovations. Michel-Jean Sedaine, the librettist with the mode, proposes in Monsigny to collaborate with him, following the fame of the Cadi deceived . Their common production appears happier: One never thinks of all , the King and the farmer , Rose and Colas gain all three great successes. April 15th 1766, with the royal Academy of Music its ballet heroic in three acts Aline, queen of Golconde causes however only one reserved reception. Criticism is shown colder still two years later, during its creation of the sounding Island . The music admittedly preserves its usual grace of the " patte" elegant and light of Monsigny. On the other hand, the booklet of Charles Collé appears unsuited and justifies transitory passage of work to the poster of the Commedia dell'Arte.

It is during this same year 1768 that the type-setter buys the load of Master of hotel to the service of the duke of Orleans. Sedaine then subjects to the booklet of the the Deserter to him on whom it composes the partition which made its glory. But the Falcon created in 1771 does not manage to take its take-off. August 14th 1775, Beautiful the Arsene causes criticisms mitigated.

In 1777, after the success of Felix or the Child found , Monsigny ceases any composition, undoubtedly because of problems of sight. It is named general inspector of the channels with Orleans. With the beginning of the year 1784, it marries Amélie de Villemagne, with which it will peacefully live until the disorders of 1789.

The Revolution and the Terreur reduce the musician and its family with a major misery and plunges it in the lapse of memory during a few years. Learning the state from poverty of the type-setter, the members of the Op3era Comique manage to pay a revenue of 2.400 Books to him, proving their recognition with regard to one of the founders of their theater.

The years of adversity grow blurred little by little and, with time, Monsigny finds its Juste famous. He becomes inspector of teaching to the Conservatoire of Music of Paris, then in 1804, is made Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. It succeeds in 1813 Grétry the Académie of the Art schools. A total blindness afflicts its last years.

Monsigny dies out with Paris on January 14th 1817 by leaving the memory of a modest man, courteous " with the simple manners and élégantes" full with a sensitivity which shows through throughout its twelve principal works.

Only one biography of Monsigny currently exists, " MONSIGNY, ONE OF the FATHERS OF the OP3ERA COMIQUE FRANÇAIS" , delivers of Dominique GHESQUIERE published by the Town of Boulogne on Mer in November 2006.

Works

the indiscreet Consents (1759)
the Master in right (1760)
One never thinks of all (1761)
Cadi deceived (1761)
the King and the farmer (1762)
the New world (1763)
Rose and Colas (1764)
Aline, queen of Golconde (1766)
Philémon and Baucis (1767)
the sounding Island (1768)
the Deserter (1769)
the Falcon (1772)
Beautiful the Arsene (1773)
Felix or the Child found (1777)

Source

Whole or part of the article is drawn from the work from Dominique Ghesquiere, Monsigny, one of the fathers of the comic opera French published in 2006 by the town of Boulogne-sur-Mer, with the pleasant authorization of the author.

External bond

Its parts and their representations on site CÉSAR

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