Léon Vasseur
Encyclopedia
Félix Augustin Joseph Vasseur, known as Léon Vasseur (28 May 1844 – 25 May 1917), was a French composer, organist and conductor. While working as a cathedral organist, he turned to composing operetta
s and soon had a hit with La timbale d'argent (1872). He wrote another thirty operettas but never repeated that early success. He also composed church music including two settings of the mass
.
in north-east France, the son of Augustin Vasseur, the local church organist and choirmaster. After studying music with his father, Vasseur enrolled at the age of 12 as a student at the École Niedermeyer, the school of church music in Paris, He studied under Pierre-Louis Dietsch
(harmony), Georges Schmitt (organ and improvisation) and Camille Saint-Saëns
(piano), and won the school's top prizes as a pianist and organist. He left the school in 1862 and at the age of 18 was appointed organist at Saint-Symphorien, Versailles
.
In 1870 after eight years at Saint-Symphorien, Vasseur succeeded Marie-Louise Leroi-Godefroy as organist of Notre-Dame de Versailles, the former royal parish church of the kings of France. He composed works for both his churches, including 20 motet
s, 2 masses
, offertories, anthems and a Magnificat
, and also a instruction book, Méthode d'orgue expressif ou harmonium (1867). In 1872 he resigned his post and was succeeded by Emile Renaud. Vasseur turned from the church to the theatre. His first attempt at operetta
, a one-act piece called Un fi, deux fi, trois figurants, was given at the Alcazar
café-chantant
on 1 April 1872. It was not a success, but his second piece, La timbale d'argent (The Silver Cup), opened nine days later at the at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
and ran for more than 200 nights. It saved the theatre from bankruptcy and confirmed Vasseur in his determination to switch from sacred to secular music. The piece was subsequently performed in America, Britain and elsewhere. Vasseur never equalled the popularity of La timbale d'argent, but his series of usually risqué operettas achieved modest success at a variety of theatres in Paris and elsewhere. The most notable of these include La cruche cassée (1875), Le droit du seigneur (1878) and Le voyage de Suzette (1889). He did not abandon sacred music completely. In 1877 his Hymne à Sainte-Cécile, for soprano
, organ and orchestra, was given at Versailles Cathedral and was well received by the public and critics.
In 1879 Vasseur set himself up as an impresario. He reopened the former Théâtre Taitbout as the Nouveau Théâtre-Lyrique, but his attempt at theatre management was unsuccessful. His first production, Hymnis, a comic opera
by Theodore de Banville and Jules Cressonnois, proved too heavyweight for the taste of the Parisian public, and within a year Vasseur was forced to close the theatre. He succeeded Olivier Métra as conductor of the Folies Bergère. He retired from the theatre in 1897.
Vasseur was twice married, first to Caroline Chaiselat and then to Ernestine Cavier.
Vasseur died in Asnières
(Hauts-de-Seine
) at the age of 72.
Vasseur's church works include, L'Office divin (a collection of masses, offertories, antiphons, etc.); Hymne à Ste Cécile, for soprano, organ and orchestra; 2 masses; Magnificat.
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
s and soon had a hit with La timbale d'argent (1872). He wrote another thirty operettas but never repeated that early success. He also composed church music including two settings of the mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
.
Biography
Vasseur was born in BapaumeBapaume
Bapaume is a commune and the seat of a canton in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming and light industrial town located 10 miles south of Arras at the junction of the A1 autoroute and the N17 and N30 national roads its location is...
in north-east France, the son of Augustin Vasseur, the local church organist and choirmaster. After studying music with his father, Vasseur enrolled at the age of 12 as a student at the École Niedermeyer, the school of church music in Paris, He studied under Pierre-Louis Dietsch
Pierre-Louis Dietsch
Pierre-Louis Dietsch was a French composer and conductor, perhaps best remembered for the much anthologized Ave Maria 'by' Jacques Arcadelt, which he loosely arranged from that composer's three part madrigal Nous voyons que les hommes.Fétis has reported that Dietsch was a choirboy at the Dijon...
(harmony), Georges Schmitt (organ and improvisation) and Camille Saint-Saëns
Camille Saint-Saëns
Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns was a French Late-Romantic composer, organist, conductor, and pianist. He is known especially for The Carnival of the Animals, Danse macabre, Samson and Delilah, Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto No. 1, Havanaise, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, and his Symphony...
(piano), and won the school's top prizes as a pianist and organist. He left the school in 1862 and at the age of 18 was appointed organist at Saint-Symphorien, Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
.
In 1870 after eight years at Saint-Symphorien, Vasseur succeeded Marie-Louise Leroi-Godefroy as organist of Notre-Dame de Versailles, the former royal parish church of the kings of France. He composed works for both his churches, including 20 motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s, 2 masses
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
, offertories, anthems and a Magnificat
Magnificat
The Magnificat — also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung liturgically in Christian church services. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn...
, and also a instruction book, Méthode d'orgue expressif ou harmonium (1867). In 1872 he resigned his post and was succeeded by Emile Renaud. Vasseur turned from the church to the theatre. His first attempt at operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
, a one-act piece called Un fi, deux fi, trois figurants, was given at the Alcazar
Alcazar (Paris)
The Alcazar was a Café-concert which opened in 1858, located at 10 Rue du Faubourg Poissonière in Paris, and closed in 1902....
café-chantant
Café-chantant
Café chantant is a type of musical establishment associated with the belle époque in France. Although there is much overlap of definition with cabaret, music hall, vaudeville, etc. the café chantant was originally an outdoor café where small groups of performers performed popular music for the...
on 1 April 1872. It was not a success, but his second piece, La timbale d'argent (The Silver Cup), opened nine days later at the at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
The Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens is a Parisian theatre which was founded in 1855 by the composer Jacques Offenbach for the performance of opéra bouffe and operetta. The current theatre is located in the 2nd arrondissement at 4 rue Monsigny with an entrance at the back at 65 Passage Choiseul. In...
and ran for more than 200 nights. It saved the theatre from bankruptcy and confirmed Vasseur in his determination to switch from sacred to secular music. The piece was subsequently performed in America, Britain and elsewhere. Vasseur never equalled the popularity of La timbale d'argent, but his series of usually risqué operettas achieved modest success at a variety of theatres in Paris and elsewhere. The most notable of these include La cruche cassée (1875), Le droit du seigneur (1878) and Le voyage de Suzette (1889). He did not abandon sacred music completely. In 1877 his Hymne à Sainte-Cécile, for soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, organ and orchestra, was given at Versailles Cathedral and was well received by the public and critics.
In 1879 Vasseur set himself up as an impresario. He reopened the former Théâtre Taitbout as the Nouveau Théâtre-Lyrique, but his attempt at theatre management was unsuccessful. His first production, Hymnis, a comic opera
Comic opera
Comic opera denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a new operatic genre, opera buffa, emerged as an alternative to opera seria...
by Theodore de Banville and Jules Cressonnois, proved too heavyweight for the taste of the Parisian public, and within a year Vasseur was forced to close the theatre. He succeeded Olivier Métra as conductor of the Folies Bergère. He retired from the theatre in 1897.
Vasseur was twice married, first to Caroline Chaiselat and then to Ernestine Cavier.
Vasseur died in Asnières
Asnières
Asnières is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Asnières, Eure, in the Eure département* Asnières-en-Bessin, in the Calvados département* Asnières-en-Montagne, in the Côte-d'Or département...
(Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
) at the age of 72.
Works
Vasseur's one-act operettas are: Un fi, deux fi, trois figurants (1872); Mon mouchoir (1872); Le grelot (1873); L’Opoponax (1877); Royal amour (1884); Au premier hussard (1883); Le royaume d'Hercule (1896); Au chat qui pelote (1897); and Dans la plume (1898). His three-act operettas are: La timbale d'argent (1872); La petite reine (1873); Le roi d'Yvetot (1873); La famille Trouillat ou La rosière d'Honfleur (1874); La blanchisseuse de Berg-op-Zoom (1875 ); La cruche cassée (1875); La Sorrentine (1876); Le droit du seigneur (1878); Le billet de logement (1879); Le petit Parisien (1882); Le mariage au tambour (1886); Madame Cartouche (1886); Ninon de Lenclos (1887); Mam’zelle Crénom (1888); Le voyage de Suzette (1889); La famille Vénus (1891); Le pays de l'or (1892); and La souris blanche (1897). Other stage works, including ballet-pantomimes are: Les parisiennes (1874); Le prince soleil (1889); La prétentaine (1893); La brasserie (1886); and Le commandant Laripète (1892)Vasseur's church works include, L'Office divin (a collection of masses, offertories, antiphons, etc.); Hymne à Ste Cécile, for soprano, organ and orchestra; 2 masses; Magnificat.