Benjamin Godard

Benjamin Godard was a French composer and violinist of the late 19th century. He composed secular music in all genres and was especially known for his songs and works for violin. Godard was born in Paris in 1849, and his musical talents were obvious from a very young age. His first musical instruction came from violinist Richard Hammer, and in 1859 he enrolled at the Paris Conservatory, where he studied composition with Henri Reber. He also received lessons from Henri Vieuxtemps, the renowned violinist and educator. After Godard completed his schooling around 1864, he was very productive as a composer and quickly became known throughout Europe. He achieved the height of his popularity in 1878, after he was awarded the Prix de la Ville de Paris for his dramatic symphony Le Tasse. He enjoyed an additional period of success in the 1880s when his works were featured in the Concerts Populaires series conducted by Jules Pasdeloup. Godard later took over the direction of the series, and he also began a career as an educator at the Paris Conservatory. Although he was interested in opera, none of Godard's operas were particularly successful during his lifetime. However, his unfinished comic opera, La Vivandiere, was completed by Paul Vidal after Godard's death in 1895, and it received a successful production of over 80 performances. Godard's charming and lyrical style was heavily influenced by Mendelssohn, Beethoven, and Schumann. He was openly opposed to Wagner's music, because of the composer's antisemitic ideals and criticism of Beethoven, whom Godard deeply admired. Some of his other popular works include the sonatas for violin, Concerto Romantique, and the Symphonie Legendaire. Critics and historians agree that Godard was never able to reach his true potential as a composer due to his untimely death from tuberculosis at the age of 45. ~ RJ Lambert, Rovi