Chevalier de Saint-Georges

French virtuoso violinist, composer, conductor, and fencing master

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-George(s) (French: [ʒozɛf bɔlɔɲ]; 25 December 1745 – 9 June 1799) was a French violinist, conductor, composer, and soldier of African descent. Moreover, he demonstrated excellence as a fencer, an athlete, and a dancer. His historical significance lies partly in his distinctive background as a biracial free man of colour. Bologne was the first classical composer of African descent to attain widespread acclaim in Western music. He composed an array of violin concertos, string quartets, sinfonia concertantes, violin duets, sonatas, two symphonies, and an assortment of stage works, notably opéra comique.

Born in the French colony of Guadeloupe, his father, Georges Bologne de Saint-Georges, was a wealthy, white plantation owner, while his mother was one of the Senegalese people Georges kept enslaved. At the age of seven, he was taken to France where he began his formal education. As a young man he won a fencing contest leading to his appointment as a “gendarme de la garde du roi" by king Louis XVI. Having received music and musical composition lessons, he joined the orchestra Le Concert des Amateurs, culminating in his appointment as its conductor in 1773.

In 1776, Saint-Georges began conducting the Paris Opera. However, this prospect was thwarted by opposition from certain performers who resisted the idea of an individual of colour directing them. Around this time, he shifted his focus to composing operas. In 1781, he joined a new orchestra, Le Concert de la Loge Olympique. By 1785, he had stopped composing instrumental works altogether.

Following the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, Saint-Georges left for England. Upon his return to France, he joined the National Guard in Lille and then served as a colonel in the Légion St.-Georges, which comprised "citizens of colour". His social and professional ties to prominent figures such as Marie Antoinette and the Duke of Orléans made him a target of the Reign of Terror, culminating in a period of imprisonment spanning at least eleven months.

Saint-Georges, a contemporary of Mozart, has at times been called the "Black Mozart." Some have criticized this appellation as racist, but others have used it to champion Saint-Georges. The violinist Randall Goosby said, “I prefer to think of Mozart as the white Chevalier."

Read more about this composer on Wikipedia.

Works

2 Symphonies concertantes, op. 10
2 Symphonies concertantes, op. 13
2 Symphonies concertantes, op. 6
2 Symphonies concertantes, op. 9
2 Symphonies, op. 11
2 Violin Concertos, op. 2
2 Violin Concertos, op. 3
2 Violin Concertos, op. 5
2 Violin Concertos, op. 7
3 Sonatas for Violin and Keyboard, op. 1a
6 Sonatas, op. posth. 1
6 String Quartets
6 String Quartets, op. 1
6 String Quartets, op. 14
Au penchant qui nous entrâine, G.116
Ernestine, G.051
Jeanne la rousse
L’Amant anonyme, Act I: Son amour, sa constance extrême
L’Amant anonyme, Act II: Enfin une foule importune… Amour deviant moi propice
L’Amant anonyme, G.075
L’Amant anonyme: Act I
L’Amant anonyme: Act II
L’Amant anonyme: Overture
L’Amant anonyme: Overture: I. Allegro presto
L’Amant anonyme: Overture: II. Andante
L’Amant anonyme: Overture: III. Presto
L’autre jour à l’ombrage
Soir et matin sur la fougère, G.063
Sonata in A major, op. 1a no. 2, G.077
Sonata in A major, op. posth. 1 no. 3, G.211
Sonata in B‐flat major, op. 1a no. 1, G.076
Sonata in B‐flat major, op. posth. 1 no. 1, G.209
Sonata in B‐flat major, op. posth. 1 no. 5, G.213
Sonata in E‐flat major, op. posth. 1 no. 2, G.210
Sonata in G major, op. posth. 1 no. 4, G.212
Sonata in G minor, op. 1a no. 3, G.078
Sonata, op. posth. 1 no. 6, G.214
Sonate en mi bémol majeur pour harpe et flûte, G.001
Sonate en mi bémol majeur pour harpe et flûte: 1. Andante
Sonate en mi bémol majeur pour harpe et flûte: 2. Tempo minuetto
Sonate en mi bémol majeur pour harpe et flûte: 3. Rondeau
String Quartet in B major, op. 14 no. 2, G.192
String Quartet in B‐flat major, G.067
String Quartet in B‐flat major, G.067: I. Allegro assai
String Quartet in B‐flat major, G.067: II. Gratioso
String Quartet in B‐flat major, G.072
String Quartet in B‐flat major, G.072: I. Allegro
String Quartet in B‐flat major, G.072: II. Aria con variazione
String Quartet in C major, G.069
String Quartet in C major, G.069: I. Allegro
String Quartet in C major, G.069: II. Rondeau. Moderato
String Quartet in C major, op. 1 no. 1, G.002
String Quartet in C major, op. 1 no. 1, G.002: I. Allegro moderato
String Quartet in C major, op. 1 no. 1, G.002: II. Rondeau
String Quartet in C minor, op. 1 no. 4, G.005
String Quartet in C minor, op. 1 no. 4, G.005: I. Allegro
String Quartet in C minor, op. 1 no. 4, G.005: II. Rondeau
String Quartet in D major, op. 1 no. 6, G.007
String Quartet in D major, op. 1 no. 6, G.007: I. Allegro
String Quartet in D major, op. 1 no. 6, G.007: II. Rondeau
String Quartet in D major, op. 14 no. 1, G.191
String Quartet in E major, op. 14 no. 5, G.195
String Quartet in E‐flat major, op. 1 no. 2, G.003
String Quartet in E‐flat major, op. 1 no. 2, G.003: I. Allegro
String Quartet in E‐flat major, op. 1 no. 2, G.003: II.Rondeau
String Quartet in F major, G.070
String Quartet in F major, G.070: I. Allegro
String Quartet in F major, G.070: II. Rondeau
String Quartet in F minor, op. 14 no. 3, G.193
String Quartet in G major, G.071
String Quartet in G major, G.071: I. Allegro assai
String Quartet in G major, G.071: II. Gratioso
String Quartet in G major, op. 14 no. 4, G.194
String Quartet in G minor, G.068
String Quartet in G minor, G.068: I. Adagio
String Quartet in G minor, G.068: II. Aria andantino
String Quartet in G minor, op. 1 no. 3, G.004
String Quartet in G minor, op. 1 no. 3, G.004: I. Allegro
String Quartet in G minor, op. 1 no. 3, G.004: II. Rondeau
String Quartet in G minor, op. 1 no. 5, G.006
String Quartet in G minor, op. 1 no. 5, G.006: I. Allegro
String Quartet in G minor, op. 1 no. 5, G.006: II. Rondeau
String Quartet in G minor, op. 14 no. 6, G.196
Symphonie concertante in A major, op. 10 no. 2, G.049
Symphonie concertante in A major, op. 10 no. 2, G.049: I. Allegro
Symphonie concertante in A major, op. 10 no. 2, G.049: II. Rondeau
Symphonie concertante in A major, op. 9 no. 2, G.066
Symphonie concertante in A major, op. 9 no. 2, G.066: I. Moderato
Symphonie concertante in A major, op. 9 no. 2, G.066: II. Rondeau
Symphonie concertante in B‐flat major, op. 6 no. 2, G.038
Symphonie concertante in B‐flat major, op. 6 no. 2, G.038: I. Allegro poco moderato
Symphonie concertante in B‐flat major, op. 6 no. 2, G.038: II. Andante amoroso
Symphonie concertante in B‐flat major, op. 6 no. 2, G.038: III. Rondeau
Symphonie concertante in C major, op. 6 no. 1, G.037
Symphonie concertante in C major, op. 6 no. 1, G.037: I. Allegro moderato et andante
Symphonie concertante in C major, op. 6 no. 1, G.037: II. Rondeau
Symphonie concertante in C major, op. 9 no. 1, G.065
Symphonie concertante in C major, op. 9 no. 1, G.065: I. Allegro
Symphonie concertante in C major, op. 9 no. 1, G.065: II. Rondeau
Symphonie concertante in E‐flat major, op. 13 no. 1, G.023
Symphonie concertante in E‐flat major, op. 13 no. 1, G.023: I. Allegro
Symphonie concertante in E‐flat major, op. 13 no. 1, G.023: II. Rondeau
Symphonie concertante in F major, op. 10 no. 1, G.064: I. Allegro
Symphonie concertante in F major, op. 10 no. 1, G.064: II. Allegro
Symphonie concertante in G major, op. 13 no. 2, G.024
Symphonie concertante in G major, op. 13 no. 2, G.024: I. Allegro
Symphonie concertante in G major, op. 13 no. 2, G.024: II. Rondeau
Symphony in D major, op. 11 no. 2, G.074
Symphony in G major, op. 11 no. 1, G.073
Symphony in G major, op. 11 no. 1, G.073: I. Allegro
Symphony in G major, op. 11 no. 1, G.073: II. Andante
Symphony in G major, op. 11 no. 1, G.073: III. Allegro assai
Violin Concerto in A major, op. 5 no. 2, G.032: I. Allegro moderato
Violin Concerto in A major, op. 5 no. 2, G.032: II. Largo
Violin Concerto in A major, op. 5 no. 2, G.032: III. Rondeau
Violin Concerto in A major, op. 7 no. 1, G.039
Violin Concerto in A major, op. 7 no. 1, G.039: I. Allegro moderato
Violin Concerto in B‐flat major, op. 7 no. 2, G.040
Violin Concerto in B‐flat major, op. 7 no. 2, G.040: II. Andante moderato con sordini
Violin Concerto in B‐flat major, op. 7 no. 2, G.040: III. Rondeau
Violin Concerto in C major, op. 3 no. 2, G.028
Violin Concerto in C major, op. 3 no. 2, G.028: I. Allegro
Violin Concerto in C major, op. 3 no. 2, G.028: II. Molto adagio con sordini
Violin Concerto in C major, op. 3 no. 2, G.028: III. Rondeau
Violin Concerto in C major, op. 5 no. 1, G.031: I. Allegro
Violin Concerto in C major, op. 5 no. 1, G.031: II. Andante moderato
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 2 no. 2, G.026
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 2 no. 2, G.026: I. Allegro
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 2 no. 2, G.026: II. Adagio
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 2 no. 2, G.026: III. Rondeau
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 3 no. 1, G.027
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 3 no. 1, G.027: I. Allegro maestoso
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 3 no. 1, G.027: II. Adagio
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 3 no. 1, G.027: III. Rondeau
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 4, G.029
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 4, G.029: I. Allegro
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 4, G.029: II. Adagio
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 4, G.029: III. Rondeau
Violin Concerto in D major, op. posth. 2, G.215
Violin Concerto in D major, op. posth. 2, G.215: I. Allegro
Violin Concerto in D major, op. posth. 2, G.215: II. Adagio
Violin Concerto in D major, op. posth. 2, G.215: III. Rondo
Violin Concerto in G major, G.022
Violin Concerto in G major, G.022: II. Largo
Violin Concerto in G major, op. 2 no. 1, G.025: I. Allegro
Violin Concerto in G major, op. 2 no. 1, G.025: II. Largo
Violin Concerto in G major, op. 8, G.050
Violin Concerto in G major, op. 8, G.050: I. Allegro
Violin Concerto in G major, op. 8, G.050: II. Largo
Violin Concerto in G major, op. 8, G.050: III. Rondeau