Maurice Henri Louis Fernand Jacquet (18 March 1886 – 29 June 1954) was a 20th-century French composer and conductor. He died on June 29, 1954, in New York.

Biography

The son of Alfred Eugene Gustave Jacquet, a photographer, and Jeanne Joséphine Henriette Noël, a singing teacher, H. Maurice Jacquet initially intended to become a virtuoso. He engaged in serious musical study under the direction of

Francis Thomé Francis Thomé (18 October 1850 – 16 November 1909), was a French pianist and composer. He was born in Port Louis, Mauritius, and studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Jules Duprato and Ambroise Thomas. After leaving the Conservatoire, he bec ...

, a composer and pianist. Since he showed serious provisions for

musical composition Musical composition can refer to an Originality, original piece or work of music, either Human voice, vocal or Musical instrument, instrumental, the musical form, structure of a musical piece or to the process of creating or writing a new pie ...

, he followed his earlier training with lessons from

Émile Pessard Émile Louis Fortuné Pessard (29 May 1843 – 10 February 1917) was a French composer. Pessard was born and died in Paris. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, where he won 1st prize in Harmony. In 1866 he won the Grand Prix de Rome with ...

, a professor at the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), or the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (; CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue Jean Ja ...

. A student of conductor

Alexandre Luigini Alexandre Clément Léon Joseph Luigini (9 March 185029 July 1906) was a French composer and conductor, especially active in the opera house.Charton D. Alexandre Luigini. In: ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera.'' Macmillan, London and New York, ...

, he regularly directed works by

Jules Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic music, Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are ''Manon'' (1884 ...

and

Gustave Charpentier Gustave Charpentier (; 25 June 1860 – 18 February 1956) was a French composer, best known for his opera ''Louise (opera), Louise''.Langham Smith R., "Gustave Charpentier", ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera.'' Macmillan, London and New York, 19 ...

. H. Maurice Jacquet composed art songs, symphonic poems for soloists and orchestra as well as piano works. The creation of ''Messaouda'', a one-act

opéra comique ''Opéra comique'' (; plural: ''opéras comiques'') is a genre of French opera that contains spoken dialogue and arias. It emerged from the popular ''opéras comiques en vaudevilles'' of the Théâtre de la foire, Fair Theatres of St Germain and S ...

written with Davin de Champclos and Andre Mauprey, was incredibly successful and received with great praise when it premiered at the Théâtre Moncey in Paris. ''Romanitza'', a lyrical drama in four acts on a poem by

Maurice Magre Maurice Magre (Occitan: ''Maurici Magre''; 2 March 1877 - 11 December 1941) was a French writer, poet, and playwright. He was an ardent defender of Occitan, and did much to publicize the martyrdom of the Cathars Catharism ( ; from the , "t ...

, was also presented with great success in April 1913 at the Théâtre Municipal of

Calais Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a French port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Calais is the largest city in Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city proper is 67,544; that of the urban area is 144,6 ...

. He also wrote the musicals ''La Petite Dactylo'' (1916) and ''L'As de cœur. Both were composed in 1917 but their first performances were held in 1925. For a while, H. Maurice Jacquet was conductor at the Théâtre de l'Odéon, then during the 1920s, he moved to America with his wife, harpist Andrée Amalou-Jacquet. He had also travelled to places including Canada, Cuba (where he directed the National Philharmonic Orchestra for some time), although finally arriving in

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

in 1929–1930. He composed two musical comedies and film music while living in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

. In 1926 Maurice, along with

Ernö Rapée Ernö Rapée (or Erno Rapee) (4 June 1891 – 26 June 1945) was a Hungarian-born American symphonic conductor in the first half of the 20th century whose prolific career spanned both classical and popular music. His most famous tenure was as the h ...

, Frederick Stahlberg (for a short-time), and

Charles Previn Charles Previn (January 11, 1888 – September 22, 1973) was an American film composer who was active at Universal in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. Before being based in Hollywood, Previn arranged music for over 100 Broadway productions. ...

, was appointed as music staff at the newly opened Roxy Theatre. In the same year, he took part in the Federation of French Veterans of the Great War Inc, Grand Concert and Annual Ball held at the Hotel Plaza in New York alongside other musician and performers like

Lucienne Boyer Lucienne Boyer (18 August 1901 – 6 December 1983) was a French diseuse and singer, best known for her song " Parlez-moi d'amour". Her impresario was Bruno Coquatrix. According to the New York Times, she "reigned as queen of Paris nightlife du ...

, Doris Niles, Leon Rothier, M. Van De Putte, and

Raymonde Delaunois Raymonde Delaunois (12 October 1885 – 30 June 1984) was a Belgian mezzo-soprano opera singer. Biography She was born in Paris (10th arrondissement) on 12 October 1885 to a single mother. Raymonde was raised in Frameries near Mons in Belgium. ...

. In 1937, he founded the third version of the

American Opera Company The American Opera Company was the name of six different opera companies active in the United States. The first company was founded in New York City in February 1886, but lasted only one season. The second company grew out of the Eastman School of M ...

in Trenton, NJ. It would perform two operatic productions before dissolving.

Education

He began his musical training with the Composer and Pianist

, quickly becoming his favorite pupil. After having his ingenious aptitude for composition acknowledged by his parents, he was sent to study with the Composer Mr. Emile Pessard, who was a professor of composition at the National Conservatory in Paris. Under his direction, his skills grew rapidly and became known for his individual aesthetic, shaped by but not beholden to influences past and present. He also studied conducting under the French composer and conductor

, and through this training, he made collegial friendships with well-known composers like

and M. Gustave Charpentier.

Marriage

On April 14, 1904, Maurice Jacquet was married to Rebecca Dusserele (1876-?) in the

18th arrondissement of Paris The 18th arrondissement of Paris (''XVIIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements, or administrative districts, of Paris, the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as '' ...

. However, he divorced her four years later on May 18, 1908. He would then remarry on 9 January 1909 to the singer Helena Anna Marx (1886-1978), daughter of Viktor Marx (1850-?) and Sophie Berthe Brunschwik (1864-1909?) in the

9th arrondissement of Paris The 9th arrondissement of Paris (''IXe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, it is referred to as (; "ninth"). The arrondissement, called Opéra, is located on the right bank of th ...

. He would remain married for 11 years before divorcing again, this time wedding his final wife, harpist and daughter of famed conducto
Auguste Amalou
Andrée Augustine Louise George dit Amalou (1899-?), otherwise known as Andrée Amalou-Jacquet. They would be married in the commune Ézanville in the

Seine-et-Oise Seine-et-Oise () is a former department of France, which encompassed the western, northern and southern parts of the metropolitan area of Paris. Its prefecture was Versailles and its administrative number was 78. Seine-et-Oise was disbanded in ...

ow Val-d'Oise">Val-d'Oise.html" ;"title="ow Val-d'Oise">ow Val-d'Oisedepartment in Île-de-France.

Dedications

Maurice Baron(1889-1964), a 20th-century French-American clarinetist and composer of film scores and "photoplay music" [music to accompany silent films], dedicated his 1928 piano work "Love's Splendor" to Jacquet. In 1911, Maurice Jacquet dedicated his melodie ''"Song of the inconstant''" to the French lyric tenor

Edmond Clément Edmond Clément (28 March 1867, Paris - 24 February 1928, Nice) was a French lyric tenor who earned an international reputation due to the polished artistry of his singing. During his career he also held a private studio, one of his students being ...

Compositions

Vocal works

*1908: ''Messaouda'', one-act opéra comique, libretto by Davin de Champclos, music with André de Mauprey *1908: ''Sbarra'', four-act opéra comique, libretto by Victor Canon and Saint-Aryan *Before 1913: ''Romanitza'', four-act lyrical drama, libretto by

*1916: ''Le Poilu'', two-act comédie-opérette, libretto by

Maurice Hennequin Maurice Hennequin (10 December 1863 – 3 September 1926) was a French-naturalized Belgian playwright. Biography A great-grandson of the painter Philippe-Auguste Hennequin, Maurice Hennequin was the son of Alfred Hennequin (1842–1887), himse ...

and Pierre Veber *1916: ''La Petite Dactylo'', three-act vaudeville, libretto by Maurice Hennequin and Georges Mitchell *1919: ''Aux jardins de Murcie : (suite murcienne) :'' three-act opera *1920: ''Son Altesse Papillon'', three-act operetta libretto by P. Celval and André Mauprey, music with André Mauprey *1925: ''L'As de cœur ou Jim-Jim'', three-act operetta, libretto by André Mauprey *1930: ''The Well of Romance'', two-act comedy operetta, libretto by Preston Sturges

Mélodies

* 1911: ''Chanson de l'Inconstant,'' for piano and voice, poem by

*''Si je pouvais mourir,'' for voice and piano *''Sérénade inutile,'' for voice and piano *''Les enfants'', for voice and piano *''Tes yeux,'' for voice and piano *''Les vieilles de chez nous'', for piano and voice *''Novembre'' *''Patrie air de Rysoor'' *''A une amie'' * ''Berceuse amoureuse'' * ''Invocation à Marie'', poem by H. Jacquet (1916) * ''Renouveau'' * ''Toi'', poem by H. Jacquet

Arias

* ''Damnation de Faust sérénade,'' for voice and piano (

Piano reduction In music, a reduction is an arrangement or transcription of an existing score or composition in which complexity is lessened to make analysis, performance, or practice easier or clearer; the number of parts may be reduced or rhythm may be ...

of the aria "Serenade De Mephistopheles" from H. Berlioz's

La damnation de Faust ''La Damnation de Faust'' (English: ''The Damnation of Faust''), Op. 24 is a French musical composition for four solo voices, full seven-part chorus, large children's chorus and orchestra by the French composer Hector Berlioz. He called it a ' ...

) * ''Xerxès,'' for piano and voice (Translated version of " Ombra Mai Fu" from G. F. Handel's oratorio)

Artsongs

* ''Benvenuto Cellini'', for piano and voice

Symphonic works

* ''Dawn twilight'' * ''Angelesque'' * ''Elegie''

Instrumental

* ''Cantique à l'ancienne,'' for harp *1925: ''Bouquet de Noëls : airs canadiens,'' for violin with accompanying piano or organ *1927: ''The love-waltz''

Piano works

* ''Nocturnes'' * ''Air de Ballet'' * ''Sonnet frivole'' * ''Danses des Saisons'' *1925: ''Rhapsodie sur un chant canadien "Alouette"'' *1927: ''The cuckoo clock Op.1'', for piano or harp in olden style

Film Scores

* 1917: ''Ils y viennent tous au cinéma,'' mixture of film and live orchestration at the Nouvel Ambigu Theater *1929: ''The Holy Terror,'' Family Comedy *1930: ''Bear Shooters,'' Family Comedy *1932: '' White Zombie'', American

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...

Cantata

* 1927: ''The mystic trumpeter'', for mixed voices and orchestra with children's chorus

Unfinished

* ''Loïs,'' unfinished, poem by MB de Grancey

Literary works

Books

* 1947: ''The road to successful singing''

Recordings

# ''Benvenuto Cellini,'' for piano and voice #''White Zombie railer': Victor Halperin (Director), Edward Halperin (Producer), Halperin Productions, 1932 (''full movie'') #1923: ''Sérénade inutile,'' for voice and piano #1923: ''Si je pouvais mourir,'' for voice and piano #Recording session of five of Maurice Jacquet's

mélodie A ''mélodie'' () is a form of French art song, arising in the mid-19th century. It is comparable to the German '' Lied''. A ''chanson'', by contrast, is a folk or popular French song. The literal meaning of the word in the French language is " ...

and two aria's nknown singer, but most likely French baritone Joseph Saucierin Montreal, Canada (1923). ##''Les enfants'' ##''Tes yeux'' ##''Les vieilles de chez nous'' ##''Xerxès'' ##''Novembre'' ##''Patrie air de Rysoor'' ##''Damnation de Faust sérénade''

External links

* *
Maurice Jacquet and his works
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*Plan for music concert to aid first French Lycee in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

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Gettyimages.ch

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacquet, Henri Maurice 1886 births 1954 deaths 20th-century French classical composers French conductors (music) French film score composers French Romantic composers People from Saint-Mandé French operetta composers French emigrants to the United States