Chausson, Le temps des lilas
Ernest Chausson (1855-1899) entered the Paris Conservatory in 1879 to study with Jules Massenet. Already 24 years old at the time, this somewhat late move came after he had obtained a law degree and was sworn in as a barrister. Coming from an affluent background, he had grown up in with a tutor who introduced him to the Parisian salons and given him a solid background in music, art, and literature. Chausson considered several career paths, including becoming an author or artist. But his perfectionist nature led to hesitancy and self-doubt. It also caused him to compose slowly and meticulously.
Chausson would leave the conservatory before completing a course of study and continue his musical pursuits independently. He studied with César Franck and immersed himself in the music of Wagner, making various trips to Bayreuth. He even spent his honeymoon in 1883 in Bayreuth. But although he absorbed many traits of Wagner’s style, he realized that French music would have to develop separate from Wagner’s influence. In that, he was in agreement with the prevailing French sentiment of the anti-Wagnerians.
His early works include many mélodies, a French parallel to German Lieder. In what is described as a second period, he turned to larger-scale works, including the song cycle for voice and orchestra Poème de l’amour et de la mer, Op. 19 (text by Maurice Bouchor) written 1882 and 1892. Le temp de lilas was published separately as a mélodie, one of 15 with text by Bouchor, but also incorporated into Poème de l’amour et de la mer as its final section.
Chausson died at the age of 44 from a cycling accident.
