A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Bourgault-Ducoudray, Louis

by Adolphe Jullien

BOURGAULT-DUCOUDRAY, Louis Albert, French composer, born at Nantes Feb. 2. 1840, is a member of a family in easy circumstances, and is nephew of Billault, the famous minister of the second empire. Having gone through a complete course of classical studies, and entered the legal profession in 1859, he was received into Ambroise Thomas's class at the Conservatoire, and in 1862 he carried off the first prize for composition. Though devoted to his art, Bourgault-Ducoudray has not produced much. His chief works are a Stabat Mater, performed at St. Eustache Apr. 5, 1868, and at the Concerts Populaires, Good Friday, Apr. 3, 1874, a work written in an archaic style, having in it something of the manner and the vague tonality of plain chant without being restricted to its rules; an orchestral suite in four movements, entitled 'Fantaisie en Ut mineur' (Concerts Populaires Dec. 27, 1874), a well orchestrated composition, but too long, and built on subjects of no interest; and finally, a little 'satiric' drama, 'La Conjuration des Fleurs,' of which he also wrote the words, and which was produced under his own direction at the Salle Herz, Jan. 27, 1883. Having never written for the stage and very rarely for the concert-room, Bourgault-Ducoudray has turned his attention towards the works of the older masters of the 'primitive' school, and towards the popular songs of all countries. In 1869 he founded in Paris an amateur choral society, and gave in a most excellent manner such works as Handel's 'Alexander's Feast' and 'Acis and Galatea,' cantatas by Bach, Clément Jannequin's 'Bataille de Marignan,' selections from Rameau, choruses by Palestrina, Orlando Lasso, etc. A nervous disorder obliged him to give up the direction of this society, which soon came to an end. Ordered to a warmer climate on account of his health, he went to Greece on a kind of musical mission, and brought back some interesting notes on the music of that country, which he published in a pamphlet entitled 'Souvenirs d'une mission musicale en Grèce et en Orient' (1876). He published some piano duets, 'Le Carnaval à Athènes,' on popular Greek airs, and an important collection of songs, 'Trente Mélodies populaires de la Grèce et de l'Orient,' collected and harmonised with Greek, Italian, and French words. Since 1878 he has lectured on the history of music at the Conservatoire. He undertook recently a musical journey into Brittany, and published on his return 'Trente Mélodies populaires de la Basse Bretagne,' collected and harmonised with a French translation in verse by F. Coppée (1885). Though little known to the public, and having produced little original work, Bourgault-Ducoudray occupies an honourable position in the musical world, and is an enthusiastic musician, with ardent convictions and a constant and earnest devotion to art.

[ A. J. ]