Alexis de Castillon
Encyclopedia
Alexis de Castillon (December 13, 1838 in Chartres
– March 5, 1873, in Paris
) was a French
composer of classical music
.
Son of an old family of the Languedoc nobility, and initially intended by his parents for a military career, Castillon gave up plans for professional soldiering in favor of music, which he learned first in his birthplace and then in Paris, studying piano and composition. In this second capacity he went to the Paris Conservatoire; there he attended the class of Victor Massé
and later, from 1869, that of the more distinguished César Franck
. It was under Franck's aegis that Castillon composed his Opus 1, a piano quintet
(he disavowed earlier efforts, including a symphony in F major
which he had written in 1865).
In fragile health at the best of times (volunteering during the War of 1870, he fell ill and was demobilized in 1871), he died of complications from fever in 1873, before even reaching the age of 35. He nevertheless had time to compose several impressively Romantic works (bearing above all the influence of Robert Schumann
). These works included pieces for piano, chamber music, mélodies, a piano concerto
, and Symphonic Sketches. As well as writing music, he took part in Parisian musical life, in particular helping to create, in 1871, the Société Nationale de Musique of which he was the first secretary.
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
– March 5, 1873, in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
composer of classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
.
Son of an old family of the Languedoc nobility, and initially intended by his parents for a military career, Castillon gave up plans for professional soldiering in favor of music, which he learned first in his birthplace and then in Paris, studying piano and composition. In this second capacity he went to the Paris Conservatoire; there he attended the class of Victor Massé
Victor Massé
Victor Massé was a French composer.-Biography:...
and later, from 1869, that of the more distinguished César Franck
César Franck
César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck was a composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life....
. It was under Franck's aegis that Castillon composed his Opus 1, a piano quintet
Piano quintet
In European classical music, a piano quintet is a work of chamber music written for piano and four other instruments, most commonly piano, two violins, viola, and cello . Among the most frequently performed piano quintets are those by Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, César Franck, Antonín Dvořák...
(he disavowed earlier efforts, including a symphony in F major
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
which he had written in 1865).
In fragile health at the best of times (volunteering during the War of 1870, he fell ill and was demobilized in 1871), he died of complications from fever in 1873, before even reaching the age of 35. He nevertheless had time to compose several impressively Romantic works (bearing above all the influence of Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
). These works included pieces for piano, chamber music, mélodies, a piano concerto
Piano concerto
A piano concerto is a concerto written for piano and orchestra.See also harpsichord concerto; some of these works are occasionally played on piano...
, and Symphonic Sketches. As well as writing music, he took part in Parisian musical life, in particular helping to create, in 1871, the Société Nationale de Musique of which he was the first secretary.
Selected Compositions
- For piano
- Fugues dans le style libre, op. 2
- Suites: op. 5, op. 10
- Cinq pièces dans le style ancien, op. 9 (1871)
- Six Valses humoristiques, op. 11 (pub. 1872) (orchestrated later by Charles KoechlinCharles KoechlinCharles Louis Eugène Koechlin was a French composer, teacher and writer on music. He was a political radical all his life and a passionate enthusiast for such diverse things as medieval music, The Jungle Book of Rudyard Kipling, Johann Sebastian Bach, film stars , travelling, stereoscopic...
.)
- Chamber music
- Piano quintet in E, op. 1 (1863-4)
- String quartetString quartetA string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
in A minorA minorA minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
, op. 3 (ded. to Henri Poencet) (by 1867) - String quartet no. 2 (only Cavatina published) in F minor (would have been op. 3, no. 2) (by 1867)
- Piano trioPiano trioA piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in classical chamber music...
s no. 1 op. 4 in B (1865), no. 2 op. 17 in D minorD minorD minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C. Its key signature has one flat ....
(1879) - Sonata for violin and piano in C majorC majorC major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
(1868), op. 6 - Piano quartet in G minor op. 7 (1869)
- Works with orchestra
- Piano concerto in D major op. 12 (1871)
- Symphonic Sketches op. 15 (1872)
- Paraphrase of Psalm 84 for soloists, choirs and orchestra op. 17 (duplicated opus number, assigned possibly in 1912)
- Songs
- Six poèmes d'Armand Sylvestre op. 8 (1868-73)