Charles-Simon Catel

From Wind Repertory Project
Charles-Simon Catel

Biography

Charles-Simon Catel (10 June 1773, L'Aigle, France - 29 November 1830, Paris) was a French composer. He was a gifted child who went to Paris at the age of 11 to study composition with François-Joseph Gossec and Antonio Sacchini, as well as piano with Gobert. When the Revolution of 1789 broke out, he joined the band of the Garde Nationale de Paris and composed a large number of works for public functions. In 1790 (at the age of 17), he shared the position of Garde Nationale bandmaster with Gossec. After a short time in the army, he was appointed a teacher of solfeggio and harmony for the Garde Nationale Corps de musique. He served as a répétiteur at the opera (until 1803) and professor of harmony and counterpoint at the newly founded Paris Conservatoire (1795—1810). He was appointed inspector at the conservatoire (1810-1816) and was accepted into the Académie des Beaux Arts in 1817.

In 1802, Catel published his short treatise on harmony, Principes élémentaires de musique. As a logical and systematic manual of basic principles and rules of hannonic practice, the treatise was for many years the accepted text on this subject. In addition to French, it was translated to German, Italian, and English. Catel was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1824. He was associated with Gossec, Cherubini, and others in important public activities on behalf of music in France.

Catel’s compositions include operas, symphonies, and chamber music, as well as many works for wind instruments. Between 1792 and 1797 he composed at least 25 works (hymns, marches, and military symphonies) for performance at Revolutionary national festivals. Following this period, he composed numerous chamber works, including quartets and quintets for strings and winds. From 1802 to 1819, Catel wrote 10 operas in the currently popular light-hearted farce style. Although he won two honorable mentions in 1810 from the decennial “best musical drama” jury for Sémiramis and L’Auberge de Bagnères, Catel was so discouraged over the failure of his last two operas in 1818 and 1819 that he stopped composing altogether.

In 1989 the French Musical Confederation (CMF*) published the most important works composed by French composers of the Revolutionary period (1789- 1799). Among the 22 wind works arranged by Désiré Dondeyre are the following by Catel: First Military March, Symphony in C and The Battle of Fleurus (band and mixed choir or three men’s voices). Arrangements by David Whitwell include La Bataille de Fleurus (with chorus), Hymne a Ia Victoire sur la Bataille de Fleurus (with chorus), Hymne de 10 Aout (with chorus), Marche W625, Marche W-628, Marche W-629, Marche W-631, Marche Militaire, Overture in C, Overture in F, Pas de Manouvre, and Symphonie Militaire.

Works for Winds


Resources

  • Miles, Richard B., and Larry Blocher. (2010). Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 1. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 676.
  • Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 113-114.