Charles Poisot (7 July 1822 – 4 March 1904) was a French musician from the second half of the 19th century. A pianist, composer and musicographer, he was also director of the Dijon Conservatory, where he spent his life.
In 1850, he composed an Opéra comique in an act, Le Paysan, on a traditional theme mixing nobility and love (the libretto is by Pujol).[1]
He returned to Dijon in 1852 where he devoted himself to teaching, musicology and composition, continuing his piano interpretations. In 1868, he was appointed Director of the Municipal School of Music, the future Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Dijon [fr], and was elected a member of the Académie des Sciences, Arts et Belles-Lettres de Dijon in 1869. He played an active role in the city's cultural life until his sudden death in his home at 4 Buffon Street at the age of 81.
He had his works performed in the city, gave talks on the glories of Burgundy (sculptor François Rude, poet and playwright Charles Brifaut and created a high level choir: "la Société des Dames". A street in Dijon bears his name.
Current statue of Jean-Philippe Rameau in Dijon. Stone copy of the original 1880 statue
A fervent admirer of Jean-Philippe Rameau, he began in 1860 with other Dijonnais (Jules Mercier, Léon Gastinel, ...) a campaign to erect a statue in honour of the great Dijon composer of the 18th century for the centenary of his death in 1864. The affair dragged on for a long time and it was only on 12 August 1876 that the model of the sculptor's statue Eugène Guillaume was finally erected on Place de la Sainte-Chapelle and a concert was given at the Grand Théâtre with Camille Saint-Saëns. It was not until 1880 that the model was replaced by the final bronze statue (it was melted down by the Germans in 1942 and replaced by a stone copy in 1950).[2] Charles Poisot collaborated in the publication of Rameau's works and produced numerous arrangements for piano and singing of his operas. He was also involved in the creation of the "Société des Compositeurs de Musique" (established in Paris in 1862).
Works
His musical work is quite abundant and varied, but it has not left its mark on the history of music. He composed opéras comiques early in his career (Le Paysan in 1850), religious pieces (one cantata, Jeanne d'Arc; motets; one Stabat Mater; one requiem, three oratorios) and many piano pieces (exercises, arrangements, songs, melodies and fantasies), some in collaboration with Joseph O'Kelly.
He also wrote many texts on music, such as his brochure on Burgundian musicians in 1854 or his Histoire de la musique en France, depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu’à nos jours (Paris 1860).
Les Affres de la mort. Scène pour basse, musical setting of poems by Théophile Gautier, 1868
La Bourgogne, 1869
Piano music
Fleur de mai, mazurka, 1875
and many other
Arrangements
Les Indes galantes: heroic ballet in 4 concerts and 1 new entry by Jean-Philippe Rameau; reconstituted and reduced score for piano and vocals by Jean Philippe Rameau. Charles Poisot, after the original 1735 scored
Hippolyte et Aricie: lyrical tragedy in 5 acts & a prologue of Rameau; Reconstructed and reduced for piano and vocals by Charles Poisot. (1882)
Zoroastre: 5-act lyrical tragedy by Rameau; reconstituted and reduced for piano and vocals by Rameau Charles Poisot.
Platée ou Junon jalouse: ballet comedy (bouffe) in 3 acts and a prologue by Rameau; Reconstructed and reduced for piano and vocals by Charles Poisot.[3]
