Massenet, Jules 1842 - 1912
Author: Higuchi, Ai
Last updated：October 1, 2007
Author: Higuchi, Ai
Born in Montaud, Saint-Étienne. In his early childhood, he learned piano from his mother, who was a piano teacher. In 1853, he entered the Paris Conservatoire and studied under Adolphe Laurent. From 1860, he studied harmony with Reber and composition with Ambroise Thomas, during which time he won the Prix de Rome for a cantata. As he did not come from a wealthy family, he worked various jobs to support himself, from a café musician to a temporary percussionist at the Opéra. However, these experiences allowed him to acquire knowledge of orchestration. In 1873, he achieved success with the oratorio-drama Marie-Magdeleine. Through works based on religious themes such as the Bible and their female figures, he captivated those seeking solace and many women who loved music. From 1878, he served as a professor of composition at the Paris Conservatoire. His pupils included Charpentier and Schmitt, among others. Massenet composed an extremely large number of operas and was the most popular opera composer in France. He also composed numerous successful piano miniatures, which feature his characteristic very sweet and charming melodies.
Works(22)
Concerto (1)
concerto (1)
Piano Solo (8)
pieces (2)
inpromptu (2)
waltz (2)
Various works (7)
Piano Ensemble (1)
pieces (3)