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André Messager

André Charles Prosper Messager (French: [mɛsaʒe]; 30 December 1853 – 24 February 1929) was a French composer, organist, pianist and conductor. His compositions include eight ballets and thirty opéras comiques, opérettes and other stage works, among which his ballet Les Deux Pigeons (1886) and opéra comique Véronique (1898) have had lasting success; Les P'tites Michu (1897) and Monsieur Beaucaire (1919) were also popular internationally.

Messager took up the piano as a small child and later studied composition with, among others, Camille Saint-Saëns and Gabriel Fauré. He became a major figure in the musical life of Paris and later London, both as a conductor and a composer. Many of his Parisian works were also produced in the West End and some on Broadway; the most successful had long runs and numerous international revivals. He wrote two operatic works in English, and his later output included musical comedies for Sacha Guitry and Yvonne Printemps.

As a conductor, Messager held prominent positions in Paris and London, at the head of the Opéra-Comique, the Paris Opéra, the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Although as a composer he is known chiefly for his light works, as a conductor he presented a wide range of operas, from Mozart to Richard Strauss, and he acquired a reputation as a conductor of Wagner. In Paris he conducted the world premieres of Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande, Massenet's Grisélidis and Charpentier's Louise. At Covent Garden, he gave the British premieres of operas by Saint-Saëns and Massenet.

Messager's music became known for its melodic and orchestral invention, musical craftsmanship, and characteristically French elegance and grace. Although most of his works have been infrequently revived, historians of music consider him the last major figure in French opéra comique and opérette.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 30, 1833 (Montluçon), Died February 24, 1929 (Paris)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1902 - 1938

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, director, conductor

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 96 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor C-2939 12-in. 12/11/1905 The letter song Alan Turner Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-3256 12-in. 4/6/1906 The swing song Harry Macdonough ; Corinne Morgan Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-9798 10-in. 1/13/1911 Long ago in Alcalá Henry Allan Price Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor B-10485 10-in. 6/2/1911 Swing song Lucy Isabelle Marsh ; Reinald Werrenrath Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-11309 12-in. 11/27/1911 The swing song Emma Eames ; Emilio de Gogorza Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with orchestra composer  
Victor C-11311 12-in. 11/27/1911 Trot here and there Emma Eames ; Emilio de Gogorza Vocal duet (soprano and baritone), with piano composer  
Victor C-15117 12-in. 8/4/1914 Les deux pigeons : Scene et danse, part 2 Conway's Band Band composer  
Victor B-17699 10-in. 5/17/1916 Long ago in Alcalá John Barnes Wells Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-19118 12-in. 1/23/1917 Aux morts pour la patrie Marcel Journet Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-22460 12-in. 12/11/1918 Barcarolle Fernand Pollain Cello solo, with piano composer  
Victor B-23756 10-in. 3/4/1920 Honour and love John McCormack Tenor vocal solo, with violin, celeste, and orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-56190 10-in. 10/16/1929 The grey house John McCormack Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor [Trial 1918-11-26-02] Not documented 11/26/1918 Barcarole Fernand Pollain Cello solo, with piano composer  
Columbia 49527 12-in. 10/17/1918 L'Arlesienne André Messager ; Paris Conservatory Symphony Orchestra Orchestra conductor  
Columbia 49528 12-in. 10/17/1918 Marche bohemienne André Messager ; Paris Conservatory Symphony Orchestra Orchestra conductor, composer  
Columbia 49529 12-in. 10/18/1918 Impressions of Italy : Serenade André Messager ; Orchestre de la Société des concerts du Conservatoire Orchestra director  
Columbia 49530 12-in. 10/18/1918 Le rouet d'Omphale André Messager ; Orchestre de la Société des concerts du Conservatoire Orchestra director  
Columbia 49532 12-in. 10/19/1918 Capriccio espagnol André Messager ; Orchestre de la Société des concerts du Conservatoire Orchestra director  
Columbia 49533 12-in. 10/19/1918 Adagietto Paris Conservatory Symphony Orchestra Orchestra conductor  
Columbia 49534 12-in. 10/21/1918 The deluge : Prelude André Messager ; Orchestre de la Société des concerts du Conservatoire Orchestra, with violin solo director  
Columbia 49535 12-in. 10/21/1918 Gypsy dance Paris Conservatory Symphony Orchestra Orchestra conductor, composer  
Columbia 49536 12-in. 10/23/1918 Cortege de Bacchus French Symphony Orchestra ; André Messager ; Orchestre de la Société des concerts du Conservatoire Orchestra director  
Columbia 49537 12-in. 10/22/1918 Danse bacchanale French Symphony Orchestra ; André Messager ; Orchestre de la Société des concerts du Conservatoire Orchestra director  
Columbia 49538 12-in. 10/22/1918 Carillon André Messager ; Paris Conservatory Symphony Orchestra Orchestra conductor  
Columbia 49539 12-in. 10/24/1918 Valse André Messager ; Paris Conservatory Symphony Orchestra Orchestra conductor  
(Results 1-25 of 96 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Messager, André," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103767.

Messager, André. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103767.

"Messager, André." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103767

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