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Topic: French composers of the Classical era?  (Read 2193 times)

Offline lelle

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French composers of the Classical era?
on: April 04, 2021, 10:00:08 PM
Does anyone know any French composers that were contemporary with Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven? I just realized I don't know any. I have some familiarity with the Baroque music of the french masters such as Rameau, Couperin, Lully etc. And then I of course know the masters of the late 19th/early 20th century who were either of French origin or composed in France such as Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Franck, Fauré, Saint-Saens, Ravel, etc. But between those eras there is a big gap. Where there any great composers active in france between those two eras?

Offline thalbergmad

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Re: French composers of the Classical era?
Reply #1 on: April 05, 2021, 04:32:26 PM
There does seem to be a bit of a gap with instrumental works. The only one I have any experience of is Hyacinthe Jadin and I doubt if I will ever play those works again.
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Offline brogers70

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Re: French composers of the Classical era?
Reply #2 on: April 05, 2021, 04:35:44 PM
Kreutzer was a French composer, but his main claim to fame is that Beethoven dedicated a violin sonata to him. I've never actually heard any of his music.

Offline ronde_des_sylphes

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Re: French composers of the Classical era?
Reply #3 on: April 05, 2021, 04:37:28 PM
The only French composers I can really name from that general period I'd associate with opera tbh, people like Mehul, Herold, Halevy and later on Auber.
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Offline compline

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Re: French composers of the Classical era?
Reply #4 on: April 05, 2021, 05:11:10 PM
Kreutzer was a French composer, but his main claim to fame is that Beethoven dedicated a violin sonata to him. I've never actually heard any of his music.



Offline lelle

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Re: French composers of the Classical era?
Reply #5 on: April 05, 2021, 08:42:03 PM
There does seem to be a bit of a gap with instrumental works. The only one I have any experience of is Hyacinthe Jadin and I doubt if I will ever play those works again.

Allright, then I'll stay away  ;D

So it seems there was a great lack of prominent composers in France, at least for the keyboard, between the baroque era and the mid-late romantic era? I wonder why this might be?
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