February 12th: Chevalier de Saint-George, the "Black Mozart"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8-sIoTQfio

Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-George (December 25, 1745 – June 10, 1799) was an important figure in the Paris musical scene in the second half of the 18th century as composer, conductor, and violinist. Prior to the revolution in France, he was also famous as a swordsman and equestrian. Known as the "black Mozart"[1] he was one of the earliest musicians of the European classical type known to have African ancestry.

Joseph Bologne was born in Guadeloupe to Nanon, a Wolof former slave, and a white French plantation owner, Georges Bologne de Saint-George.

He studied music in Saint-Domingue with the black violinist Joseph Platon before emigrating to Paris in 1752. Platon would later play an unspecified Saint-George violin concerto at Port-au-Prince (Haiti) on April 25, 1780.
After 1764, works dedicated to him by Lolli and Gossec suggest that Gossec was his composition teacher and that Lolli taught him violin. Saint-George’s technical approach was similar to that of Gaviniés, who may also have taught him. In 1769 he became a member of Gossec’s new orchestra, the Concert des Amateurs, at the Hôtel de Soubise, and was soon named its leader.

While still a young man, he acquired multiple reputations; as the best swordsman in France, as a violin virtuoso, and as a composer in the classical tradition. He composed and conducted for the private orchestra and theatre of the Marquise de Montesson, morganatic wife of the King's cousin, Louis Philippe I, Duke of Orléans. In 1771, he was appointed maestro of the Concert des Amateurs, and later director of the Concert de la Loge Olympique, the biggest orchestra of his time (65-70 musicians). This orchestra commissioned Joseph Haydn to compose six symphonies (the "Paris Symphonies" Nr. 82-87), which Saint-George conducted for their world premiere. In respect of his skill as both a composer and musician, he was selected for appointment as the director of the Royal Opera of Louis XVI.

Despite his noted talents and success, Chevalier de Saint-George was not immune from the racism. When he was proposed as music director of the Opéra in 1776, many protested and made a petition to the queen declaring that “their honor and their delicate conscience could never allow them to submit to the orders of a mulatto.” In spite of these noted objection, he persevered on and became one of the biggest stars in 18^th century France.
Bob Marley advised “Don’t gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold…”. Only through gaining knowledge of our rich culture and history will we be able to quire the wisdom Bob Marley spoke of. The story of Chevalier de Saint-George provides not only as an important part of African world history, but it also serves as an inspiration for aspiring artists.