Massonneau, Louis

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Massonneau, Louis

Massonneau, Louis, German violinist, conductor, and composer of French descent; b. Kassel, Jan. 10, 1766; d. Ludwigslust, Oct. 4, 1848. He studied violin with Jacques Heuzé and composition with Joseph- Karl Rodewald in Kassel. After playing violin and viola d’amore at the court chapel of Landgrave Friedrich II (1783–84), he was 1st violin in Forkel’s Academic Concerts in Göttingen (1785–92). He then was conductor in Frankfurt am Main (1795–97), Altona (1797–99), and at the prince’s chapel in Dessau (1799–1803). In 1803 he went to Ludwigslust as solo violinist, where he was asst. Kapellmeister (until 1812) and subsequently Kapellmeister (until 1837). Massonneau was an accomplished composer of instrumental music. He pubi. 3 syms. in Paris (1 and 2, c. 1792; 3, 1794). His 3rd Sym., La tempête et le calme, is a programmatic score and is of historical interest for its seeming anticipation of Beethoven’s Pastoral Sym. Among his other works were overtures, concertos, sacred music, chamber pieces, and songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire