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François Delsarte

October 17, 2023

François Alexandre Nicolas Chéri Delsarte (19 November 1811 – 20 July 1871) was a French singer, orator, and coach. Though he achieved some success as a composer, he is chiefly known as a teacher in singing and declamation (oratory).

François Delsarte (1864)
François Delsarte (Madeleine Delsarte)

Applied aesthetics Edit

Delsarte was born in Solesmes, Nord. He became a pupil at the Paris Conservatory, was for a time a tenor in the Opéra Comique, and composed a few songs. While studying singing at the Conservatoire, he became unsatisfied with what he felt were arbitrary methods for teaching acting. He began to study how humans moved, behaved and responded to various emotional and real-life situations. By observing people in real life and in public places of all kinds, he discovered certain patterns of expression, eventually called the Science of Applied Aesthetics. This consisted of a thorough examination of voice, breath, movement dynamics, encompassing all of the expressive elements of the human body. His hope was to develop an exact science of the physical expression of emotions, but he died before he had achieved his goals.

Delsarte System Edit

Delsarte coached preachers, painters, singers, composers, orators and actors in the bodily expression of emotions. His goal was to help clients connect their inner emotional experience with the use of gesture. Delsarte categorized ideas related to how emotions are expressed physically in the body into various rules, ‘laws’ or ‘principles.’ These laws were organized by Delsarte in charts and diagrams. Delsarte did not teach systematically but rather through inspiration of the moment, and left behind no publications on his lessons. In America, Delsarte's theories were developed into what became known as the (American) Delsarte System.

Influence and impact Edit

 
Genevieve Stebbins posing (in 1902). Her performances ultimately helped Delsarte's ideas permeate modern dance.[1]

Delsarte's ideas were influential to the physical culture movement in the late 19th century.[1] Delsarte intended his work for the performing arts, including the theatre, and one of his many students (who also included orators and teachers) was Sarah Bernhardt.[1]

Delsarte never wrote a text explaining his method, and neither did his only protégé, the American actor Steele MacKaye, who brought his teacher's theories to America in lecture demonstrations he delivered in New York and Boston in 1871. However, MacKaye's student Genevieve Stebbins continued in their footsteps by developing a system of 'harmonic gymnastics',[1] and in 1886 she published a book building on the foundation of Delsarte's theories titled The Delsarte System of Expression, which became a major success with six editions (as well as numerous copycat publications). Stebbins also lectured extensively on Delsarte's theories, and displayed them (in conjunction with harmonic gymnastics) by statue-posing and performing so-called 'pantomimes' illustrating a poem, story or concept, thereby bringing Delsarte's work closer to dance.[1] According to a contemporary description, Stebbins's statue poses, spiralling from head to toe, would "flow gracefully onward from the simple to complex... commencing with a simple attitude, and continuing with a slow, rhythmic motion of every portion of the body."[2] Although she did not describe herself as a dancer, from 1890 at the latest she started to perform actual dances as well as poses.[2]

There was a renewed interest in Delsartism in the 1890s in Europe.[1] The principles of Delsarte were incorporated into expressionist dance and modern dance more generally through the influence of Isadora Duncan[a] and the Denishawn school of Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn.[1][3] While St. Denis claimed a performance by Stebbins inspired her to dance, Shawn consciously embodied the Delsarte System in his work (and his book Every Little Movement (1954) is a key English-language text on the subject).[3] As well as permeating the entire modern-dance movement in America,[4] Delsartian influence may also be felt in German Tanztheater, through the work of Rudolf Laban[b] and Mary Wigman.[1]

Ironically, it was the great success of the Delsarte System that was also its undoing. By the 1890s, it was being taught everywhere, and not always in accordance with the emotional basis that Delsarte originally had in mind. No certification was needed to teach a course with the name Delsarte attached, and the study regressed into empty posing with little emotional truth behind it. Stephen Wangh concludes, "it led others into stereotyped and melodramatic gesticulation, devoid of the very heart that Delsarte had sought to restore."[7]

Family Edit

Delsarte was the uncle of composer Georges Bizet and grandfather of painter Thérèse Geraldy.

References Edit

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Gilman, D. C.; Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Thomas, Helen (1995). Dance, Modernity, and Culture: Explorations in the Sociology of Dance. Psychology Press. pp. 48–52. ISBN 978-0-415-08793-3.
  2. ^ a b Ruyter, Nancy Lee Chalfa (1996). "The Delsarte Heritage". Dance Research: The Journal of the Society for Dance Research. 14 (1): 62–74. doi:10.2307/1290825. ISSN 0264-2875. JSTOR 1290825.
  3. ^ a b c Legg, Joshua (2011). Introduction to Modern Dance Techniques. Princeton Book Company. pp. 1–4, 8–12. ISBN 978-0-87127-325-3.
  4. ^ Reynolds, Nancy; McCormick, Malcolm (2003). No Fixed Points: Dance in the Twentieth Century. Yale University Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-300-09366-7.
  5. ^ Hodgson, John (2016) [2001]. Mastering Movement: The Life and Work of Rudolf Laban. Routledge [Methuen Drama]. pp. 64–67. ISBN 978-1-135-86086-8.
  6. ^ Preston-Dunlop, Valerie (2008). Rudolf Laban: An Extraordinary Life. London: Dance Books. pp. 14–15. ISBN 978-1-85273-124-3.
  7. ^ Wangh, Stephen. (2000). An Acrobat of the Heart: A Physical Approach to Acting Inspired by the Work of Jerzy Grotowski. New York: Vintage Books. p. 32. ISBN 0-375-70672-0

Notes Edit

  1. ^ Duncan's official denial of any familiarity with Desarte's work failed to convince her biographers as plausible: for example, in an interview of 1898 she extolled his mastery of the principles of flexibility and bodily lightness, and her aesthetic pronouncements on the "inner man" in relation to the body closely echoed Delsarte's own.[3]
  2. ^ Laban is said to have acknowledged the stimulus of Delsarte's work and appears to have studied what he loosely referred to as "Delsarte mime" while in Paris between 1900 and 1908;[5] the evolution of his own movement theory seems to reflect familiarity with Delsartian ideas.[6]

Further reading Edit

  • Franck Waille, Christophe Damour (dir.), François Delsarte, une recherche sans fin, Paris, L'Harmattan, 2015.
  • Ted Shawn, Every Little Movement: A Book about François Delsarte, 1954
  • Franck Waille (dir.), Trois décennies de recherches européennes sur François Delsarte, Paris, L'Harmattan, 2011.
  • Alain Porte, François Delsarte, une anthologie, Paris, IPMC, 1992.
  • Williams, Joe, A Brief History of Delsarte
  • Franck Waille, Corps, arts et spiritualité chez François Delsarte (1811–1871). Des interactions dynamiques, PhD in history, Lyon, Université Lyon 3, 2009, 1032 pages + CDROM of annexes (manuscripts, interview of Joe Williams, video reconstitutions of body exercises) (the last and longer chapter of this thesis concerns Delsarte training for the body).
  • Nancy Lee Chalfa Ruyter, "The Delsarte Heritage," Dance Research: The Journal of the Society for Dance Research, 14, no. 1 (Summer, 1996), pp. 62–74.
  • Delsarte system of expression, by Genevieve Stebbins; public-domain, online version on Internet Archive.
  • Eleanor Georgen, The Delsarte system of physical culture (1893) (Internet Archive)
  • Carolina W. Le Farve. (1894). Physical Culture Founded on Delsartean Principles. New York: Fowler & Wells.
  • Edward B. Warman. Gestures and Attitudes: Exposition of the Delsarte Philosophy of Expression, Practical and Theoretical, 1892.

External links Edit

October 17, 2023
françois, delsarte, françois, alexandre, nicolas, chéri, delsarte, november, 1811, july, 1871, french, singer, orator, coach, though, achieved, some, success, composer, chiefly, known, teacher, singing, declamation, oratory, 1864, madeleine, delsarte, contents. Francois Alexandre Nicolas Cheri Delsarte 19 November 1811 20 July 1871 was a French singer orator and coach Though he achieved some success as a composer he is chiefly known as a teacher in singing and declamation oratory Francois Delsarte 1864 Francois Delsarte Madeleine Delsarte Contents 1 Applied aesthetics 2 Delsarte System 3 Influence and impact 4 Family 5 References 6 Notes 7 Further reading 8 External linksApplied aesthetics EditDelsarte was born in Solesmes Nord He became a pupil at the Paris Conservatory was for a time a tenor in the Opera Comique and composed a few songs While studying singing at the Conservatoire he became unsatisfied with what he felt were arbitrary methods for teaching acting He began to study how humans moved behaved and responded to various emotional and real life situations By observing people in real life and in public places of all kinds he discovered certain patterns of expression eventually called the Science of Applied Aesthetics This consisted of a thorough examination of voice breath movement dynamics encompassing all of the expressive elements of the human body His hope was to develop an exact science of the physical expression of emotions but he died before he had achieved his goals Delsarte System EditDelsarte coached preachers painters singers composers orators and actors in the bodily expression of emotions His goal was to help clients connect their inner emotional experience with the use of gesture Delsarte categorized ideas related to how emotions are expressed physically in the body into various rules laws or principles These laws were organized by Delsarte in charts and diagrams Delsarte did not teach systematically but rather through inspiration of the moment and left behind no publications on his lessons In America Delsarte s theories were developed into what became known as the American Delsarte System Influence and impact Edit nbsp Genevieve Stebbins posing in 1902 Her performances ultimately helped Delsarte s ideas permeate modern dance 1 Delsarte s ideas were influential to the physical culture movement in the late 19th century 1 Delsarte intended his work for the performing arts including the theatre and one of his many students who also included orators and teachers was Sarah Bernhardt 1 Delsarte never wrote a text explaining his method and neither did his only protege the American actor Steele MacKaye who brought his teacher s theories to America in lecture demonstrations he delivered in New York and Boston in 1871 However MacKaye s student Genevieve Stebbins continued in their footsteps by developing a system of harmonic gymnastics 1 and in 1886 she published a book building on the foundation of Delsarte s theories titled The Delsarte System of Expression which became a major success with six editions as well as numerous copycat publications Stebbins also lectured extensively on Delsarte s theories and displayed them in conjunction with harmonic gymnastics by statue posing and performing so called pantomimes illustrating a poem story or concept thereby bringing Delsarte s work closer to dance 1 According to a contemporary description Stebbins s statue poses spiralling from head to toe would flow gracefully onward from the simple to complex commencing with a simple attitude and continuing with a slow rhythmic motion of every portion of the body 2 Although she did not describe herself as a dancer from 1890 at the latest she started to perform actual dances as well as poses 2 There was a renewed interest in Delsartism in the 1890s in Europe 1 The principles of Delsarte were incorporated into expressionist dance and modern dance more generally through the influence of Isadora Duncan a and the Denishawn school of Ruth St Denis and Ted Shawn 1 3 While St Denis claimed a performance by Stebbins inspired her to dance Shawn consciously embodied the Delsarte System in his work and his book Every Little Movement 1954 is a key English language text on the subject 3 As well as permeating the entire modern dance movement in America 4 Delsartian influence may also be felt in German Tanztheater through the work of Rudolf Laban b and Mary Wigman 1 Ironically it was the great success of the Delsarte System that was also its undoing By the 1890s it was being taught everywhere and not always in accordance with the emotional basis that Delsarte originally had in mind No certification was needed to teach a course with the name Delsarte attached and the study regressed into empty posing with little emotional truth behind it Stephen Wangh concludes it led others into stereotyped and melodramatic gesticulation devoid of the very heart that Delsarte had sought to restore 7 Family EditDelsarte was the uncle of composer Georges Bizet and grandfather of painter Therese Geraldy References EditThis article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Gilman D C Peck H T Colby F M eds 1905 New International Encyclopedia 1st ed New York Dodd Mead a href Template Cite encyclopedia html title Template Cite encyclopedia cite encyclopedia a Missing or empty title help a b c d e f g h Thomas Helen 1995 Dance Modernity and Culture Explorations in the Sociology of Dance Psychology Press pp 48 52 ISBN 978 0 415 08793 3 a b Ruyter Nancy Lee Chalfa 1996 The Delsarte Heritage Dance Research The Journal of the Society for Dance Research 14 1 62 74 doi 10 2307 1290825 ISSN 0264 2875 JSTOR 1290825 a b c Legg Joshua 2011 Introduction to Modern Dance Techniques Princeton Book Company pp 1 4 8 12 ISBN 978 0 87127 325 3 Reynolds Nancy McCormick Malcolm 2003 No Fixed Points Dance in the Twentieth Century Yale University Press p 11 ISBN 978 0 300 09366 7 Hodgson John 2016 2001 Mastering Movement The Life and Work of Rudolf Laban Routledge Methuen Drama pp 64 67 ISBN 978 1 135 86086 8 Preston Dunlop Valerie 2008 Rudolf Laban An Extraordinary Life London Dance Books pp 14 15 ISBN 978 1 85273 124 3 Wangh Stephen 2000 An Acrobat of the Heart A Physical Approach to Acting Inspired by the Work of Jerzy Grotowski New York Vintage Books p 32 ISBN 0 375 70672 0Notes Edit Duncan s official denial of any familiarity with Desarte s work failed to convince her biographers as plausible for example in an interview of 1898 she extolled his mastery of the principles of flexibility and bodily lightness and her aesthetic pronouncements on the inner man in relation to the body closely echoed Delsarte s own 3 Laban is said to have acknowledged the stimulus of Delsarte s work and appears to have studied what he loosely referred to as Delsarte mime while in Paris between 1900 and 1908 5 the evolution of his own movement theory seems to reflect familiarity with Delsartian ideas 6 Further reading EditFranck Waille Christophe Damour dir Francois Delsarte une recherche sans fin Paris L Harmattan 2015 Ted Shawn Every Little Movement A Book about Francois Delsarte 1954 Franck Waille dir Trois decennies de recherches europeennes sur Francois Delsarte Paris L Harmattan 2011 Alain Porte Francois Delsarte une anthologie Paris IPMC 1992 Williams Joe A Brief History of Delsarte Franck Waille Corps arts et spiritualite chez Francois Delsarte 1811 1871 Des interactions dynamiques PhD in history Lyon Universite Lyon 3 2009 1032 pages CDROM of annexes manuscripts interview of Joe Williams video reconstitutions of body exercises the last and longer chapter of this thesis concerns Delsarte training for the body Nancy Lee Chalfa Ruyter The Delsarte Heritage Dance Research The Journal of the Society for Dance Research 14 no 1 Summer 1996 pp 62 74 Delsarte system of expression by Genevieve Stebbins public domain online version on Internet Archive Eleanor Georgen The Delsarte system of physical culture 1893 Internet Archive Carolina W Le Farve 1894 Physical Culture Founded on Delsartean Principles New York Fowler amp Wells Edward B Warman Gestures and Attitudes Exposition of the Delsarte Philosophy of Expression Practical and Theoretical 1892 External links EditWorks by Francois Delsarte at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Francois Delsarte at Internet Archive Works by Francois Delsarte at Open Library Oxford Dictionary of Dance dead link subscription Laban Biography and Method Delsarte Francois Alexandre Nicolas Cheri New International Encyclopedia 1905 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francois Delsarte amp oldid 1176581269, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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