Clémence de Grandval in the French artistic culture of the XIX century

Abstract

Statement of the problem. One of the main issues of the humanities has always been to study urgent problems due to the proceses of economic and social life, changes of artistic guidelines, one of which is to comprehend the specifics of the functioning of contemporary art. Nevertheless, the direction of music scholarship that explores the culture of previous eras and the work of little-known «second-rate» artists remains no less important. In this aspect, the XIX century, namely the era of Romanticism, attracts attention with the flourishing of salon culture, the interest in the work of the Musician-Creator, which led to the formation of a significant layer of educated amateurs and many composers, whose works have been forgotten. The purpose of this article is to present Clémence de Grandval’s creativity as an important component of the development of artistic culture of France in the XIX century. Results and conclusion. The centers of salon culture, where composers and performers, poets and publicists, artists and theater figures gathered in the epoch of blossom of the European Romanticism influenced on shaping of personality and individual artistic style of Clémence de Grandval (1828–1907), born as Marie Félicie Clémence de Reiset (and also known as Vicomtesse de Grandval and Marie Grandval). Unlike of many women of that time, she was lucky to study from a young age. She took lessons from a family friend, the German composer F. Flotow, and later – from F.Chopin and C. Saint-Saëns. In the artistic environment of France in the XIX century Clémence de Grandval was not only well-known, but also a highly respected composer. For many years she held an honorable place in the National Musical Society of France, where she was also involved in patronage, helping young talented composers to promote their works. Both, the significant art prizes of that period, which Clémence de Grandval received through her musical talant and professional knowledge, as well as the respectful attitude of her contemporaries, indicate that during her lifetime she achieved great recognition. Clémence de Grandval’s creative heritage includes several operas, choral and instrumental works that were actively publishing in the XIX century, but later the scores of her orchestral compositions were lost. As of today, the interest to Clémence de Grandval’s creativity is reviving, though performers focus mainly on her chamber works, where orientation on home music is obvious. Thus, the legacy of this remarcable French women composer deserves a deeper investigation.