JULES MASSENET.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1522, 19 August 1912, Page 6

JULES MASSENET.

PASSING OF A PINE MUSICIAN. The death of Jules Massenet wns cabled last week when, owing to the pressure on space, it was not possible to refer at length to the passing of a French composer and conductor of considerable eminence. Those who were present at the last concert of tho Municipal Orchestra will remember the brilliant suite of dances from tho opera "Lo Cid," by Mnssenet. There is a splendid verve, lift, and character in these dances. Thev embody au elan which is tho very soul of tho dance, and stirs in evervouo a, desire (o get up and caper to tho gladsome, rhythm. Massenet was probably best known in Wellington by this suito of dances. Yel;, strange to say, in tho world of opera "Lo Cid" is tho least-played of tho composer's works. Operas from his tuneful vital pen which have figured frequently both ill New York and London during tho last two or three seasons were "Thais" and "Lo Jouglour do Notre Dame," both great "popular" works. Other operas written l>y Marsenet wero "Manon" (a subject also treated ,much more successfully by Puccini under the title- of "Mnnon Lescant)," "La. Navnrraise," "Wcrther," "Hcrodiade," "La Grande. Taut*," "Don Caesar do Bazan," "Lo Mage," "Lo Portrait do Mnnon," "Snpho." "Cendrillom," "Griselidis," "Thcrcse," "Chcrubiu,," "Arinne," "Don Quixote," and "Bacchus." Ho also wrote six orchestral suites.

Jules E. P. Massenet was born in 1843 nt Montnnd (Loire), France, and was educated at the I/yceo (St. Louis), and dt tho Paris Conservatoire, whoro he studied under Laurent, Reber, Savard, and Ambroiso Thomas. He became Pro* lessor of Composition in tho Paris Conservatoire iii 1878, and hold-Hie position until 189 G. Much of his music was very light, but it was always marked by n compelling melodiousness and rhythm.