Benjamin Louis Paul Godard (18 August 1849 – 10 January 1895) was a French violinist and Romantic-era composer of Jewish extraction,[1] best known for his opera Jocelyn. Godard composed eight operas, five symphonies, two piano and two violin concertos, string quartets, sonatas for violin and piano, piano pieces and etudes, and more than a hundred songs. He died at the age of 45 in Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes) of tuberculosis and was buried in the family tomb in Taverny in the French department of Val-d'Oise.
Benjamin Godard, c. 1880, Bibliothèque nationale de France
In 1876, his Concerto romantique was performed at the Concerts Populaires, and other of his large works were also performed at these concerts. In 1878, Godard was the co-winner of the Prix de la Ville de Paris. His winning composition, a dramatic symphony entitled Le Tasso, remains one of his most admired works.
From that time until his death Godard wrote a large number of compositions. These include eight operas, among them: Jocelyn (the "Berceuse" from which remains Godard's best-known composition), performed in Paris in 1888; Dante, played at the Opéra-Comique two years later; and La Vivandière, left unfinished and completed by Paul Vidal (1863–1931). The last of these was heard at the Opéra-Comique in 1895, and was played in England by the Carl Rosa Opera Company.
He became a professor at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1887, and was made a Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur in 1889.
Worksedit
Godard's long list of works includes five symphonies: Symphonie gothique (1883), Symphonie orientale (1884), and Symphonie légendaire (1886); Concerto romantique for violin and orchestra (1876), two piano concertos, three string quartets, four sonatas for violin and piano, a sonata for cello and piano, two piano trios, and various other orchestral works. Among his piano pieces may be mentioned Mazurka No. 2, Valse No. 2, Au Matin, Postillon, En Courant, En Train, and Les Hirondelles. Florian's Song is also very popular and has been arranged for many instruments. Godard's fourth sonata for violin and piano contains a scherzo written in the unusual time signature of 5 4. He wrote more than 100 songs.
According to the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, "Godard's compositions are unequal, if only because his productivity was enormous. He was at his best in works of smaller dimensions. Among his more ambitious works, the Symphonie légendaire may be singled out as being one of the most distinctive."[2]
benjamin, godard, benjamin, louis, paul, godard, august, 1849, january, 1895, french, violinist, romantic, composer, jewish, extraction, best, known, opera, jocelyn, godard, composed, eight, operas, five, symphonies, piano, violin, concertos, string, quartets,. Benjamin Louis Paul Godard 18 August 1849 10 January 1895 was a French violinist and Romantic era composer of Jewish extraction 1 best known for his opera Jocelyn Godard composed eight operas five symphonies two piano and two violin concertos string quartets sonatas for violin and piano piano pieces and etudes and more than a hundred songs He died at the age of 45 in Cannes Alpes Maritimes of tuberculosis and was buried in the family tomb in Taverny in the French department of Val d Oise Benjamin Godard c 1880 Bibliotheque nationale de France Contents 1 Life and career 2 Works 3 Operas 4 References 5 External linksLife and career edit nbsp Plaster bust of Benjamin Godard by Ernest Charles Diosi Godard was born in Paris in 1849 He entered the Conservatoire de Paris in 1863 where he studied under Henri Vieuxtemps violin and Napoleon Henri Reber harmony and accompanied Vieuxtemps twice to Germany In 1876 his Concerto romantique was performed at the Concerts Populaires and other of his large works were also performed at these concerts In 1878 Godard was the co winner of the Prix de la Ville de Paris His winning composition a dramatic symphony entitled Le Tasso remains one of his most admired works From that time until his death Godard wrote a large number of compositions These include eight operas among them Jocelyn the Berceuse from which remains Godard s best known composition performed in Paris in 1888 Dante played at the Opera Comique two years later and La Vivandiere left unfinished and completed by Paul Vidal 1863 1931 The last of these was heard at the Opera Comique in 1895 and was played in England by the Carl Rosa Opera Company He became a professor at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1887 and was made a Chevalier Knight of the Legion d honneur in 1889 Works editGodard s long list of works includes five symphonies Symphonie gothique 1883 Symphonie orientale 1884 and Symphonie legendaire 1886 Concerto romantique for violin and orchestra 1876 two piano concertos three string quartets four sonatas for violin and piano a sonata for cello and piano two piano trios and various other orchestral works Among his piano pieces may be mentioned Mazurka No 2 Valse No 2 Au Matin Postillon En Courant En Train and Les Hirondelles Florian s Song is also very popular and has been arranged for many instruments Godard s fourth sonata for violin and piano contains a scherzo written in the unusual time signature of 54 He wrote more than 100 songs According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica Eleventh Edition Godard s compositions are unequal if only because his productivity was enormous He was at his best in works of smaller dimensions Among his more ambitious works the Symphonie legendaire may be singled out as being one of the most distinctive 2 Godard was opposed to the music of Richard Wagner and also highly critical of Wagner s antisemitism Godard s musical style was more in tune with those of Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann Operas editOp Title Genre Sub divisions Libretto Premiere date Place theatre Notes Les Guelfes grand opera 5 acts Louis Gallet 17 January 1902 Rouen Theatre des Arts composed 1880 82 Pedro de Zalamea opera 4 acts Leonce Detroyat amp Paul Armand Silvestre 31 January 1884 Antwerp Theatre Royal after Calderon s The Mayor of Zalamea 100 Jocelyn opera 4 acts Paul Armand Silvestre and Victor Capoul after a poem by Alphonse de Lamartine 25 February 1888 Brussels Theatre de la Monnaie 111 Dante et Beatrice drame lyrique 4 acts Edouard Blau 13 May 1890 Paris Opera Comique Favart 125 Jeanne d Arc drame historique 5 acts Joseph Fabre fr 13 January 1891 Paris Theatre du Chatelet Ruy Blas after Victor Hugo s Ruy Blas composed in 1891 unperformed La Vivandiere opera comique 3 acts Henri Cain incomplete score 21 March 1893 Brussels Theatre de la Monnaie with orchestration completed by P A Vidal 1 April 1895 Paris Salle FavartReferences edit Search Archived from the original on 2015 02 17 Retrieved 2015 02 17 Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Godard Benjamin Louis Paul Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 12 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 170 Sadie Stanley Ed 1994 1992 The New Grove Dictionary of Opera vol 2 E Lom chpt Godard Benjamin Louis Paul by John Trevitt and Robert Orledge New York MacMillan ISBN 0 935859 92 6 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Benjamin Godard Free scores by Benjamin Godard at the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP Benjamin Godard Piano Trio No 1 in g minor Op 32 sound bites and a discussion of the work Piano trio no 1 op 32 1872 from the Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection Piano trio no 2 op 72 F major 1880 from the Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection Symphonie gothique pour orchestre op 23 1890 from the Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection Troisieme sonate pour piano amp violon op 9 1880 from the Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection Fantasie persane pour piano et orchestre ou 2 pianos op 152 1900 from the Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection Songs by Benjamin Godard on The Art Song Project Portals nbsp Classical music nbsp Opera Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Benjamin Godard amp oldid 1218353208, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
