Marie-Alexandre Guénin

Marie-Alexandre Guénin, born in Maubeuge ( in the French region of Nord-Pas de Calais ) on February 20, 1744 and died in Etampes ( in the region of Ile-de -France ) on January 22, 1835, was one of the violinists and composers most appreciated at his time.

He died at 7 am in the house of his son in law, Dr. Sédillot, on Boulevard Henri IV, at the age of 91 years old and was the widower of Marie -Suzanne Joly . His death certificate figure no. 22 of the registers of civil status of Etampes of the year 1835.

He began studying the instrument at the age of six years old, and his father sent him soon to Paris, where he developed his talent, under the leadership of Nicolas Capron, to the point of becoming, in 1780, first violinist of the Paris Opera, a role he held for twenty years.

Guénin also wrote chamber music and symphonies, influenced by François -Joseph Gossec, who was a teacher and friend : with Louis XVI he had very early access to positions of management or soloist at the Opera, the Spiritual Concert (the first public concerts organized in Paris, which began in 1715 and ended in 1790), at the Court and in many homes of the aristocracy.

After 19 years as a professor at the Royal School of Singing - what would later become the Conservatory - and 30 years of service at the Paris Opera, Guénin retired in 1801.

He left Paris and took on the role of second fiddle at the Court of Charles IV of Spain, a great lover of music who knew how to surround himself with the best musicians : even follows him in 1808 during his exile in Marseilles.

At the request of Cherubini, Louis XVIII reintegrates Guénin among its musicians, but now too old would ever regain a leading role : soon his pension is reduced and finally abolished in 1816. Then searches for a good retreat to forget all the ingratitude, finding it at Etampes, in the home of his daughter Anne- Rose.

Continues for a few years to perform in concerts organized by the Society of Children of Apollo, of which he is president : his name is mentioned for the last time in a manifesto of October, 1822, at 78 years old .

Among his compositions, the Symphony no. 3 Op 4 in D minor was written specifically for the Masonic initiation of Voltaire, which took place at the Lodge of the Nine Sisters in Paris April 7, 1778 : the first movement was performed during the ceremony from the Column of Harmony, under the direction of Capron, his old master, while the whole symphony was performed during the banquet that followed the initiation rite .

NB) The portrait of Guénin is the work of François Dumont ( watercolor on ivory, 1791, Louvre)

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