Charles Gounod is best known for his operas Faust and
Romeo et Juliette and for his Ave Maria based on the
first Prelude of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1
(1859). Except for concertos, he composed music in the
major genres, but with varying success in the
instrumental realm. Gounod was more at home in the
vocal arena, particularly in opera and sacred music.
Though his reputation began to fade even before he
died, he is still generally regarded as a major figure
in 19th century Fr...(+)
Charles Gounod is best known for his operas Faust and
Romeo et Juliette and for his Ave Maria based on the
first Prelude of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1
(1859). Except for concertos, he composed music in the
major genres, but with varying success in the
instrumental realm. Gounod was more at home in the
vocal arena, particularly in opera and sacred music.
Though his reputation began to fade even before he
died, he is still generally regarded as a major figure
in 19th century French music. Stylistically, he was a
conservative whose influence nevertheless extended to
Bizet, Saint-Saëns, and Massenet, although he could
not be called a trailblazer or the founder of any
movement or school. His works are tuneful, his vocal
writing imaginative, and orchestral scoring masterly.
Gounod's compositions, even his two symphonies and
lesser known operas, are occasionally explored today,
and the aforementioned Faust and Romeo et Juliette and,
particularly, the Ave Maria are widely performed and
recorded.
Gounod was born on June 17, 1818. His mother was a
pianist who served as the young boy's first teacher.
While still in his youth she arranged for him to
receive composition lessons from Anton Reicha. After
Reicha's death, Gounod began studies at the Paris
Conservatory, where he won a Grand Prix in 1839 for his
cantata Fernand.
After further composition studies in Rome, where he
focused on 16th century church music, particularly the
works of Palestrina, he became deeply interested in
religion and by 1845 was contemplating the priesthood.
Though he would eventually reject the idea and marry,
he remained religious throughout his life and wrote
many sacred works, including masses, the most popular
being the 1855 St. Cecilia Mass. In that year Gounod
also turned out two symphonies, which achieved
attention, but not lasting success. It was the 1859
opera Faust, however, that, after a slow start, became
Gounod's calling card and is now core to the operatic
repertoire. Mireille (1864) and especially Romeo et
Juliette (1867) added to his reputation, not only in
France, but throughout Europe.
From 1870-1875 Gounod lived in England owing to the
exigencies of the Franco-Prussian War. In his years
there and in the period following his return to France,
Gounod wrote much music, especially religious music,
but never again attained the kind of success he
experienced in the 1850s and '60s. Among his more
compelling and imaginative late works is the 1885
Petite Symphonie, scored for nine wind instruments.
Gounod died in St. Cloud on October 18, 1893.
Source: AllMusic
(https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charles-gounod-mn00001
53981/biography).
Although originally composed for Chorus (SATB) and
Organ, I created this interpretation of "Pater Noster"
(Our Father) in F Major (CG 146) for Double-Reed
Quartet (2 Oboes, English Horn & Bassoon).
