A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Bigot, Marie

by Franz Gehring

BIGOT,^[1] Marie (née Kiene), born at Colmar, Alsace, March 3, 1786; in 1804 married Mr. Bigot, librarian to Count Rasumoffsky, and accompanied him to Vienna. Here she made the acquaintance of Haydn, Salieri, and Beethoven, and found much enjoyment in their society. The first time she played to Haydn (then 72 or 73) the old man was so delighted as to embrace her, and to say 'My dear child, that music is not mine; it is yours!' and on the book from which she had been playing he wrote '20th Feb. 1805; this day has Joseph Haydn been happy.' Beethoven also, after she had played to him a sonata of his own, is reported to have said 'that is not exactly the reading I should have given; but go on, if it is not quite myself, it is something better.' These anecdotes are given by Fétis, who may be presumed to have heard them from Madame Bigot herself. On May 1, 1805, she played at the opening concert of the Augarten, and the report of the 'Allg. musik. Zeitung' characterises her playing as pleasing and often delicate and refined—a verdict which hardly bears out the expressions attributed to Haydn and Beethoven. A letter of Beethoven's, however, first published by Otto Jahn and reprinted by Thayer ('Beethoven.' ii. 337), puts his relations to her family beyond doubt; and there is no reason to disbelieve the picturesque anecdote related by Nohl (Beethoven, ii. 246) of her having played the 'Sonata appassionata' at sight from the autograph.

In 1809 the Bigots went to Paris. Here she became intimate with Baillot, Lamarre, Cherubini, and all the great musical characters. She played the music of Beethoven and Mozart with the two former both in public and private, and was highly valued by Cramer, Dussek, and Clementi. The war of 1812, however, put a rude stop to this happiness; Bigot was taken prisoner at Milan, lost his post at Count Rasumoffsky's, and his wife was thrown on her own resources. She accordingly began to give lessons, but the exertion interfered with her health. She died at Paris Sept. 16, 1820. Before her death however she had the honour of giving pianoforte lessons to Felix Mendelssohn during a short visit to Paris in 1816 (his 7th year). He refers to her in a letter of Dec. 20, 1831, and the warmth of his attachment to her family may be seen from another letter of Feb. 24, 1838, to Madame Kiene ('Goethe and Mendelssohn,' 2nd ed. p. 136), which shews that Mr. Bigot was still alive, and that the relations between Madame Bigot's family and the great French musicians were still maintained.

[ F. G. ]

1. According to the Allg. musik. Zeitung. Bigot de Morugnes