Reynaldo Hahn

Biography

Born from a mother vénézuélienne Elena Maria Echenaguera (1831-1912) and from a father originating in Hamburg, Carlos Hahn, Reynaldo Hahn are the junior by four brothers (Hermann, Federico, Carlos, Edouardo) and by five sisters (Elisa, Elena, Isabel, Maria, Clavita). Carlos Hahn, come to the Venezuela to make fortune, becomes friendly and adviser of the president Antonio Guzman Blanco. After the end of the septennate of this last, feeling threatened by the enemies of the president, Carlos leaves to Paris with all his family, in 1878; Reynaldo is only three years old. The family Hahn, installed 6 Street of the Circus, quickly creates for itself relations in the Parisian company.

Having provisions for the music, it enters to the Conservatoire of Paris in October 1885 and becomes the pupil of Albert Lavignac and Jules Massenet for the composition. At thirteen years, it composes already famous a melody If my worms had wings . Starting from 1890, it côtoie the family Daudet; it is on their premises that will be interpreted for the first time the gray Chansons in the presence of Paul Verlaine. the Latin Studies (1900) of an irresistible seduction are worth a fast success to him. In the Parisian living rooms most crested (at the princess Mathilde, the countess of Guerne, Madeleine Lemaire), Reynaldo Hahn sings its melodies while being accompanied with the piano and meets great names like Stephan Mallarmé or Edmond de Goncourt. In Madeleine Lemaire, in 1894, it becomes acquainted with Marcel Proust of which he becomes the lover, and with which he will remain dependant until his death.

It preserves and spreads in all its work this gift of the melody invention which it supplements by a harmonic refinement. In 1890, it writes the Incidental music of the Obstacle of Alphonse Daudet. In 1897, the Concerts Column play its Symphonic poem, Nuit of love bergamask .

His/her father dies in 1897. The family moves in to the 9 Rue Alfred de Vigny. The following year, the Op3era Comique presents the Island of the dream , three acts inspired of Pierre Loti. In 1902, the Carmelite nun (according to the painful history of Louise of Vallière) is essential on the Op3era Comique. He travels much, of Hamburg with Bucharest, Rome to London, cultivates himself in all arts: painting, literature.

He composes the incidental music of the Two courtesans (1902) of Francis de Croisset followed by two partitions for Werther and Scarron . He publishes the collections of melody for piano, Spanish Chansons , Rondels , etc, of the parts for the piano, Portraits of painter , First waltz , Caprice melancholic person , etc

For the theater, it produces ballets: the ball of Beatrice d' Este (1907), the fairy at Therese (1910), blue God (1912) created for the Russian Ballets of Diaghilev. In 1914, to its request, it is sent to the face until in 1916 for then working with the ministry for the war. That does not prevent it from continuing to compose ( the untied Ribbon, for two pianos ). It is made officer of the Légion of honor in 1924 (and becomes commander a few days before its death).

In 1920, Reynaldo Hahn becomes professor of song to the Teacher training school of music of Paris (created in 1919 by Alfred Cortot and Auguste Mangeot). It there côtoie Pablo Casals, Jacques Thibaud, Nadia Baker. During this time of the Inter-war period, it composes its operettas most famous ( Ciboulette , April 7th, 1923), Malvina (March 1935) and of the musical comedies for Yvonne Printemps ( Mozart , 1925) and Arletty ( O my beautiful unknown on a booklet of Sacha Guitry, October 1933), yes of the young girls (Spanish drama of Nicolas Fernandez de Moratin), posthumous work whose Henri Büsser will finish the orchestration of the last act. But beside this music with the mode, it returns to a kind more intimate than it had hitherto forsaken: the Chamber music with one upsetting Quintet with piano (1921), the Sonata for Violin & piano (1927) and two String quartets (1939). It gives a Concerto for piano in February 1931 with the success of Magda Tagliaferro. the Queen of Sheba is played in March 1926, a Promothée triumphing created by the Concerts Column in 1908, a Concerto for violin , a Concerto Of Provence , reconquered Suite of orchestra over Strasbourg . Its last work, a Agnus Dei for soprano and baritone, of the choruses for Esther . It also takes part in the Excelsior (1919-1921) as with the Figaro of June 1933 to 1945, with the musical criticism of its time.

Worried for its Jewish origins, it must leave Paris in 1940 for Cannes then Monte Carlo. In 1945, of return to Paris, it is elected member of the Académie of the Art schools with died of Alfred Bachelet and becomes director of the Opéra of Paris.

Its music remaining turned towards the past, it is, for much, the musician of the Belle Time, the author of charming melodies and operettas. But most of its work remains to be discovered, presenting many other facets of the character.

Proust writes in its Chroniques : “… this “musical instrument of genius” which is called Reynaldo Hahn étreint all the hearts, wets all the eyes, in the shiver of admiration which it propagates with far and which makes us tremble, we curves all one after the other, in quiet and solemn undulation of corns under the wind. ” ( Le Figaro , May 11th, 1903)

External bonds

Biography
Site on Reynaldo Hahn and its universe
Another site on Reynaldo Hahn
Nomination of Reynaldo Hahn to the direction of the Opera of Paris (June 27th, 1945)

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