Music and dance school in Paris, France
The
Conservatoire de Paris
(
French:
[k??s??vatwa?
d?
pa?i]
), also known as the
Paris Conservatory
, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the
Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris
(
CNSMDP
), it is situated in the avenue
Jean Jaures
in the
19th arrondissement of Paris
, France. The Conservatoire offers instruction in music and dance, drawing on the traditions of the 'French School'.
Formerly the conservatory also included drama, but in 1946 that division was moved into a separate school, the
Conservatoire National Superieur d'Art Dramatique
(CNSAD), for acting, theatre and drama. Today the conservatories operate under the auspices of the
Ministry of Culture and Communication
and are associate members of
PSL University
.
[2]
The CNSMDP is also associated with the
Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon
(CNSMDL).
Former Conservatoire building (until 1911) in the
9th arrondissement of Paris
, which now houses the
CNSAD
(
48°52′23″N
2°20′49″E
/
48.873074°N 2.347001°E
/
48.873074; 2.347001
)
Ecole Royale de Chant
[
edit
]
On 3 December 1783
Papillon de la Ferte
,
intendant
of the
Menus-Plaisirs du Roi
, proposed that
Niccolo Piccinni
should be appointed director of a future Ecole Royale de Chant (Royal School of Singing). The school was instituted by a decree of 3 January 1784 and opened on 1 April with the composer
Francois-Joseph Gossec
as the provisional director. Piccinni refused the directorship, but did join the faculty as a professor of singing. The new school was located in buildings adjacent to the Hotel des Menus-Plaisirs at the junction of the rue Bergere and the rue du Faubourg Poissonniere.
[4]
In June, a class in dramatic declamation was added, and the name was modified to Ecole Royale de Chant et de Declamation.
[5]
Institut National de Musique
[
edit
]
Site plan (1836) of the
Menus-Plaisirs
, the Concert Hall, and the Conservatoire
In 1792,
Bernard Sarrette
created the Ecole Gratuite de la Garde Nationale, which in the following year became the Institut National de Musique. The latter was also installed in the facilities of the former Menus-Plaisirs on the rue Bergere
and was responsible for the training of musicians for the
National Guard
bands
, which were in great demand for the enormous, popular outdoor gatherings put on by the
revolutionary government
after the
Reign of Terror
.
[4]
Merger
[
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]
On 3 August 1795, the government combined the Ecole Royale with the Institut National de Musique, creating the Conservatoire de Musique under the direction of
Sarrette
. The combined organization remained in the facilities on the rue Bergere. The first 351 pupils commenced their studies in October 1796.
[4]
[6]
By 1800, the staff of the Conservatory included some of the most important names in music in Paris, including, besides Gossec, the composers
Luigi Cherubini
,
Jean-Francois Le Sueur
,
Etienne Mehul
, and
Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny
, as well as the violinists
Pierre Baillot
,
Rodolphe Kreutzer
, and
Pierre Rode
.
[4]
Traditions for flute
[
edit
]
The tradition of the final or exit examination, the
concours
, has required students, at the end of their course of study, to perform in public a prepared set of musical pieces for a jury consisting of the professors and internationally renowned professionals on the particular instrument, the composer of the solo de concours, and the Director. Behind closed doors, the candidates would be given additional tasks to perform such as sight-reading. In the 20th century, the candidates were judged against a standard, and those who demonstrated outstanding mastery and artistry receive the
Premier Prix
, the equivalent of a diploma with high honor. Those who earned
Deuxieme Prix,
also received a diploma but could elect to remain to try again a year later for the top prize. Two lesser levels of distinction existed, the
Premier Accessit
and
Deuxieme Accessit
, equivalent to Honorable Mentions but without a diploma. Historically, students who failed to pass the exam on the first attempt would return for another one to two years additional study and try a second time. A student failing to earn either level diploma after two additional attempts would be terminated from the program.
[7]
Concert hall
[
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]
A concert in March 1843
A concert hall, designed by the architect Francois-Jacques Delannoy,
[8]
was inaugurated on 7 July 1811.
[9]
It is in the shape of a U (with the orchestra at the straight end). It holds an audience of 1055.
The French composer and conductor
Antoine Elwart
described it as the
Stradivarius
of concert halls.
In 1828
Francois Habeneck
, a professor of violin and head of the conservatory's orchestra, founded the
Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire
(forerunner of the
Orchestre de Paris
). The society held concerts in the hall almost continuously until 1945, when it moved to the
Theatre des Champs-Elysees
.
[12]
The French composer
Hector Berlioz
premiered his
Symphonie Fantastique
in the conservatory's hall on 5 December 1830 with an orchestra of more than a hundred players.
[9]
Library
[
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]
Library, 1895
The original library was created by Sarrette in 1801.
[13]
After the construction of the concert hall, the library moved to a large room above the entrance vestibule.
In the 1830s, Berlioz became a part-time curator in the library and was the librarian from 1852 until his death in 1869, when he was succeeded by
Felicien David
.
[4]
Bourbon restoration
[
edit
]
Sarrette was dismissed on 28 December 1814, after the
Bourbon Restoration
, but was reinstated on 26 May 1815, after
Napoleon
's return to power during the
Hundred Days
. After his fall, Sarrette was compelled to retire on 17 November.
[13]
The school was closed in the first two years of the Bourbon Restoration, during the reign of
Louis XVIII
, but reopened in April 1816 as the Ecole Royale de Musique, with
Francois-Louis Perne
as its director.
[4]
In 1819,
Francois Benoist
was appointed professor of organ.
Probably the best known director in the 19th century was Luigi Cherubini, who took over on 1 April 1822 and remained in charge until 8 February 1842. Cherubini maintained high standards and his staff included teachers such as
Francois-Joseph Fetis
, Habeneck,
Fromental Halevy
, Le Sueur,
Ferdinando Paer
, and
Anton Reicha
.
[4]
Camille Urso
Cherubini was succeeded by
Daniel-Francois-Esprit Auber
in 1842. Under Auber, composition teachers included
Adolphe Adam
, Halevy, and
Ambroise Thomas
; piano teachers,
Louise Farrenc
,
Henri Herz
, and
Antoine Francois Marmontel
; violin teachers,
Jean-Delphin Alard
and
Charles Dancla
; and cello teachers,
Pierre Chevillard
and
Auguste Franchomme
.
[4]
In 1852,
Camille Urso
, who studied with
Lambert Massart
, became the first female student to win a prize on violin.
[15]
Instrument museum
[
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]
The Conservatory Instrument Museum, founded in 1861, was formed from the instrument collection of
Louis Clapisson
.
[4]
[16]
The French music historian
Gustave Chouquet
became the curator of the museum in 1871 and did much to expand and upgrade the collection.
[16]
Franco-Prussian War and the Third Republic
[
edit
]
In the
Franco-Prussian War
, during the
siege of Paris
(September 1870 ? January 1871), the Conservatory was used as a hospital. On 13 May 1871, the day after Auber's death, the leaders of the
Paris Commune
appointed
Francisco Salvador-Daniel
as the director. Daniel was shot to death ten days later by troops of the French Army. He was replaced by Ambroise Thomas, who remained in the post until 1896. Thomas's rather conservative directorship was vigorously criticized by many of the students, including
Claude Debussy
.
[4]
Piano class of
Charles de Beriot
in 1895 with
Maurice Ravel
on the left
During this period
Cesar Franck
was ostensibly the organ teacher, but was actually giving classes in composition. His classes were attended by several students who were later to become important composers, including
Ernest Chausson
,
Guy Ropartz
,
Guillaume Lekeu
,
Charles Bordes
, and
Vincent d'Indy
.
[4]
Theodore Dubois
succeeded Thomas after the latter's death in 1896. Professors included
Charles-Marie Widor
,
Gabriel Faure
, and
Charles Lenepveu
for composition,
Alexandre Guilmant
for organ,
Paul Taffanel
for flute, and
Louis Diemer
for piano.
[4]
Gabriel Faure
[
edit
]
Faure
in the Director's Office at the Conservatoire, 1918
Lenepveu had been expected to succeed Dubois as director, but after the "
Affaire Ravel
" in 1905,
Ravel
's teacher
Gabriel Faure
became director.
Le Courrier Musical
(15 June 1905) wrote: "Gabriel Faure is an independent thinker: that is to say, there is much we can expect from him, and it is with joy that we welcome his nomination."
[17]
Faure appointed forward-thinking representatives (such as Debussy,
Paul Dukas
, and
Andre Messager
) to the governing council, loosened restrictions on repertoire, and added conducting and
music history
to the courses of study. Widor's composition students during this period included
Darius Milhaud
,
Arthur Honegger
, and
Germaine Tailleferre
. Other students included
Lili Boulanger
and
Nadia Boulanger
. New to the staff were
Alfred Cortot
for piano and
Eugene Gigout
for organ.
[4]
Modernity
[
edit
]
The CNSMDP new building at the
Cite de la Musique
.
The Conservatory moved to facilities at 14 rue de Madrid in 1911.
[4]
Henri Rabaud
succeeded Faure in 1920 and served until April 1941. Notable students were
Olivier Messiaen
,
Jean Langlais
, and
Jehan Alain
. Staff included Dukas and
Jean Roger-Ducasse
for composition,
Marcel Dupre
for organ,
Marcel Moyse
for flute, and
Claire Croiza
for singing.
[4]
Like all institutions in Paris, the Conservatoire was ruled by
Nazi Germany
and the collaborationist
Vichy
government during the
Occupation of France
of 1940?1944. Under
the regime's antisemitic policies
, Conservatoire administrators alternated between actively collaborating to purge the school of Jewish students (in the case of Rabaud) or working to conceal and protect Jewish students and faculty (in the case of Rabaud's successor,
Claude Delvincourt
).
[18]
Delvincourt was director from 1941 until his death in an automobile accident in 1954. Delvincourt was a progressive administrator, adding classes in
harpsichord
, saxophone, percussion, and the
Ondes Martenot
. Staff included Milhaud for composition and Messiaen for analysis and aesthetics. In 1946, the
dramatic arts
were transferred to a separate institution (CNSAD). Delvincourt was succeeded by Dupre in 1954,
Raymond Loucheur
in 1956,
Raymond Gallois-Montbrun
in 1962,
Marc Bleuse
in 1984, and
Alain Louvier
in 1986. Plans to move the Conservatory of Music and Dance to more modern facilities in the
Parc de la Villette
were initiated under Bleuse and completed under Louvier. It opened as part of the
Cite de la Musique
in September 1990.
[4]
After over two centuries of male directors,
Emilie Delorme
, for a decade director of the European Academy of Music (French:
Academie europeenne de musique
) at the
Aix-en-Provence Festival
, was appointed as the Conservatoire's first woman director on 14 December 2019.
[1]
[19]
Currently, the conservatories train more than 1,200 students in structured programs, with 350 professors in nine departments.
CNSAD
[
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]
Heir of the original
Paris Conservatoire
building, the Conservatoire National Superieur d'Art Dramatique (CNSAD) (National Superior Conservatory of the Dramatic Arts) is the conservatory for acting, drama, and theatre, known by its acronym
CNSAD
. It is located in the original historic building of the Conservatoire de Paris on the rue du Conservatoire at rue Sainte-Cecile in the
9th arrondissement of Paris
. Free public performances by students at the
CNSAD
are given frequently in the Conservatoire's theatre.
CNSMDP
[
edit
]
The Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP) (National Superior Conservatory of Paris for Music and Dance) is a separate conservatory for music and dance. The French government built its new campus in the
19th arrondissement of Paris
. It was designed by
Christian de Portzamparc
.
The
organ
on site was built in 1991 by the Austrian
Rieger Orgelbau firm
. It has 53 stops on 3 manuals and pedals. A larger organ of over 7,000 pipes with 91 stops was made in 2015 by the same company for the symphony hall of the nearby
Philharmonie de Paris
.
Notable people
[
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]
A list of former students can be found at
List of former students of the Conservatoire de Paris
and former teachers at
List of former teachers at the Conservatoire de Paris
.
See also
[
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]
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
Emilie Delorme, premiere femme nommee a la tete du Conservatoire de Paris
[Emilie Delorme, first woman nominated as head of the Conservatoire de Pari],
Le Monde
(in French) 14 December 2019.
Archived
from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
- ^
"Associes"
, PSL website.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
Simeone 2000
, pp. 214?217, "Conservatoire de Musique".
- ^
Chouquet 1900
,
p. 391
.
- ^
Pierre 1895
,
pp. 179?182
.
- ^
Colgin, Melissa. "The Paris Conservatoire Concours Tradition and the Solos de Concours for Flute 1955?1990." D.M.A. Treatise, University of Texas at Austin, 1992.
- ^
Brault & Du Bois 1893
,
p. 53
.
- ^
a
b
Simeone 2000
, pp. 183?184, "Salle de l'Ancien Conservatoire".
- ^
Holoman 2004
, pp. 3, 85;
Pierre 1900
,
p. 771
.
- ^
a
b
Chouquet 1900
,
p. 392
.
- ^
Le Menestrel
(2 August 1903),
p. 243
.
- ^
a
b
Fetis 1878
,
vol. 1, pp. 181?182
, "Chouquet (Adolphe-Gustave)".
- ^
Quoted and translated by
Simeone 2000
, p. 216.
- ^
Fancourt, Daisy.
"The Paris Conservatoire"
.
Music and the Holocaust
. Retrieved
15 January
2021
.
- ^
"The Academie ? A Thousand and One Stories for a Twenty-Year Adventure"
Archived
29 July 2023 at the
Wayback Machine
at the Aix-en-Provence Festival website.
Bibliography
[
edit
]
- Brault, Elie;
Du Bois, Alexandre
[
fr
]
, editor (1893).
Les Architectes par leurs œuvres
, volume 3 (at HathiTrust)
. Paris: H. Laurens.
Notice bibliographique
, BnF.
- Charlton, David; Trevitt, John; Gosselin, Guy (2001). "Paris. VI. 1789?1870" in
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
, 2nd edition, edited by
Stanley Sadie
. London: Macmillan.
ISBN
9781561592395
(hardcover).
OCLC
419285866
(eBook).
- Chouquet, Gustave
(1900). "Conservatoire de Musique" in
A Dictionary of Music and Musicians
, edited by
George Grove
. London: Macmillan.
Copy
at
Wikisource
.
- Fetis, Francois-Joseph
(1878).
Biographie universelle des musiciens
, supplement in two volumes by
Arthur Pougin
. Paris: Didot. Vols.
1
and
2
at
Google Books
.
- Holoman, D. Kern
(2004).
The Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire, 1828?1967
. Berkeley: University of California Press.
ISBN
9780520236646
.
- Pierre, Constant
, editor (1895).
B. Sarrette et les origines du Conservatoire national de musique et de declamation
. Paris: Delalain Freres.
Copy
at
Google Books
.
- Pierre, Constant, editor (1900).
Le Conservatoire national de musique et de declamation. Documents historiques et administratifs
. Paris: Imprimerie Nationale. 1031 pages.
View
at Google Books.
- Prod'homme, Jacques-Gabriel
; Crauzat, E. de (1929).
Les Menus Plaisirs du Roi. L'ecole royale et le Conservatoire de musique
. Paris: Delagrave.
OCLC
842136603
.
- Simeone, Nigel (2000).
Paris ? A Musical Gazetteer
. New Haven: Yale University Press.
ISBN
9780300080537
.
External links
[
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]
48°53′20″N
2°23′27″E
/
48.88889°N 2.39083°E
/
48.88889; 2.39083
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