Charles François Gounod is known for his operas and works of a spiritual orientation. The composer combined his search for his place in music with religious pursuits. And he even thought about giving himself over to the service of God. However, he overcame this impulse and returned to composing musical compositions, in which he was very successful.
From the biography of Charles Francois Gounod
The future composer and music critic was born in the capital of France on June 17, 1818 in a creative family. Gounod's father was an artist, mother was a pianist. At the age of eleven, Charles Francois was assigned to the Lyceum. From childhood, he showed a talent for music. Gounod was a soloist in a church choir, studied music theory and even tried to compose compositions himself. After visiting the opera house, Charles intensified his desire to compose music.
In 1838, Gounod began his studies at the Paris Conservatory. Before that, he took lessons in musical harmony from Antonin Reich. Charles's teachers at the Conservatory were Fromantal Halévy, Ferdinando Paer, Jean-Francois Lesueur.
The development of Gounod's natural talent was to a certain extent fettered by academicism, which was assiduously instilled in the conservatory. Nevertheless, some of the works of the young composer attracted the attention of a sophisticated audience.
A year later, Gounod became a laureate of the prestigious prize, which he was awarded for the cantata "Fernand". After that, he spent two years in Italy as a scholarship holder, and studied for some time in Germany and Austria. The young musician was disappointed with contemporary Italian operatic art. He focused on the study of early music.
Gounod's Spiritual Quest
In 1843, Gounod returned to Paris, where he worked for five years as director and organist in one of the churches. During that period, Charles François composed exclusively cult, spiritual works. Gradually, religious motives began to appear more and more in his worldview. Gounod thought about making a spiritual career. And even attended meetings of members of the Dominican order.
Since 1847, Gounod became a student of theology courses. He moved to a monastery and tried on the abbot's cassock. However, as a result of a difficult internal struggle, the composer nevertheless abandoned his spiritual career and completely immersed himself in art.
Gounod's work
Gounod believed that only the opera provided the opportunity to communicate with the audience on a daily basis. Therefore, he refers specifically to this genre. In 1851 his opera Sappho was premiered. Then came the turn of The Bloody Nun (1854). Both works went to the "Grand Opera", but were not successful: critics noted the excessive pretentiousness of the composer's style, unevenness and unwarranted melodrama.
In 1852 Gounod became the head of the Orpheon association of amateur choral societies. At that time, it was the most massive educational organization of musical Paris. It included residents of the outskirts of the capital and workers' quarters.
Gounod quickly responded to events in public life, but very easily succumbed to ideological influences. As a person and an artist, he was extremely unstable. In the late 1950s, Charles was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. However, he found the strength to get back to work.
The premiere of the opera "The Reluctant Doctor" (1858) was very warmly received by the public. The composer managed to show the liveliness of the characters and the real setting of the action. Gounod's talent began to manifest itself in full force. The next significant success was Faust, staged at the Lyric Theater in 1859.
Subsequently, Gounod created a number of excellent plays and unsuccessful operas. Among the composer's last works are the oratorios "Atonement", "Death and Life". In the 80s, Gounod began to engage in music and literary criticism.
The famous composer spent the last years of his life on the outskirts of Paris. He passed away on October 18, 1893.
