January 20, 1855:
Ernest Amédée Chausson is born at 12 rue Pierre-Chausson in the tenth arrondissment of Paris, the fourth of six children born to Prosper Chausson, a wealthy building contractor, and Stéphanie-Marcelline Levraux (or Levrault), daughter of a notary.
March 12, 1875:
Ernest Chausson (20) receives a baccalaureate degree.
April 24, 1876:
Ernest Chausson (21) obtains a law degree in Paris.
May 7, 1877:
Ernest Chausson (22) takes the oath as a barrister in the Court of Appeal, Paris.
December 24, 1880:
Ernest Chausson (25) is officially admitted to the Paris Conservatoire.
January 31, 1881:
Jeanne d’Arc, a scène lyrique for solo voices and female chorus by student Ernest Chausson (25), is performed for the first time, at the Paris Conservatoire.
April 8, 1882:
Trio for piano and strings op.3 by Ernest Chausson (27) is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris.
December 23, 1882:
Four the the Sept mélodies op.2 by Ernest Chausson (27) are performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris: Nanny and Le colibri to words of Leconte de Lisle, Sérénade italienne to words of Bourget, and La dernière feuille, to words of Gautier.
March 31, 1883:
Ernest Chausson’s (28) symphonic poem Viviane is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, in the Salle Erard, Paris. The work arouses no interest on the part of the public. Also on the program is the premiere of César Franck’s (60) symphonic poem Le chasseur maudit.
June 20, 1883:
Ernest Chausson (28) marries Jeanne Escudier, a pianist, in Église Saint-Augustin, Paris. They will honeymoon in Bayreuth.
April 18, 1885:
The entr’acte to Ernest Chausson’s (30) comédie lyrique after de Musset Les Caprices de Marianne is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris.
November 21, 1886:
Romain Bussine and Camille Saint-Saëns (51) resign from the Société national de musique when the committee agrees to Vincent d’Indy’s motion to allow old and foreign music. Within a week, César Franck (63) will become president, Vincent d’Indy (35) and Ernest Chausson (31) secretaries, and Gabriel Fauré (41) treasurer.
December 12, 1886:
Solitude dans les bois, a symphonic poem by Ernest Chausson (31) is performed for the first time, in the Eden Theatre, Paris.
May 3, 1887:
Music of Richard Wagner (†4) is staged in Paris for the first time since his death with a production of Lohengrin at the Eden-Théâtre. Among the audience are Gabriel Fauré (41), Ernest Chausson (32), and Claude Debussy (24). Conductor Charles Lamoreux has been publicly accused of being a German agent. A riot takes place outside the theatre with several hefty projectiles thrown at the building, breaking windows. Numerous arrests ensue.
May 14, 1887:
Two scenes from Ernest Chausson’s (32) drame lyrique after Leconte de Lisle Hélène are performed by the Société National de Musique, Paris.
January 21, 1888:
One scene from Ernest Chausson’s (33) drame lyrique Hélène is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris.
November 5, 1888:
Incidental music to Shakespeare’s play (translated by Bouchor) The Tempest by Ernest Chausson (33) is performed for the first time, in the Petit Théâtre des Marionettes, Paris.
April 18, 1891:
Symphony in B flat by Ernest Chausson (36) is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris conducted by the composer.
January 25, 1892:
Incidental music to Bouchor’s play La légende de Sainte-Cécile by Ernest Chausson (37) is performed for the first time, in the Petit Théâtre des Marionettes, Paris.
March 4, 1892:
Concert for piano, violin, and string quartet by Ernest Chausson (37) is performed for the first time, in Brussels.
February 21, 1893:
Poème de l’amour et de la mer for voice and orchestra by Ernest Chausson (38) to words of Bouchor is performed for the first time, in Brussels. The premiere is heard in a two-piano version with the composer at one keyboard.
December 27, 1896:
Poème op.25 for violin and orchestra by Ernest Chausson (41) is performed for the first time, in Nancy.
January 23, 1897:
Three Lieder op.27 by Ernest Chausson (42) to words of Mauclair, are performed for the first time.
February 13, 1897:
Paysage op.38 for piano by Ernest Chausson (42) is performed for the first time.
April 3, 1897:
Two works by Gabriel Fauré (51) are performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris: Barcarolle no.6 op.70 for piano, and Prison op.83 for voice and piano to words of Verlaine. On the same program, two works by Ernest Chausson (42) are performed for the first time: Serres chaudes op.24 for voice and piano to words of Maeterlinck, and Quelques danses op.26 for piano.
May 18, 1897:
Chansons de Miarka op.17 for voice and piano by Ernest Chausson (42) to words of Richepin is performed for the first time.
March 13, 1898:
Soir de fète, a symphonic poem by Ernest Chausson (43), is performed for the first time, in Paris.
April 2, 1898:
Quartet for piano and strings op.30 by Ernest Chausson (43) is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris. The premiere is very successful.
April 30, 1898:
Chansons de Shakespeare for voice and piano by Ernest Chausson (43) to words translated by Boucher is performed for the first time.
January 29, 1899:
Chanson perpétuelle op.37 for voice and orchestra by Ernest Chausson (44) to words of Cros is performed for the first time, in Le Havre, in the presence of the composer.
June 10, 1899:
Ernest Amédée Chausson, while traveling near his rented villa at Limay near Mantes, Seine-et-Oise, Republic of France, loses control of his bicycle and crashes into a wall, dying instantly. He is aged 44 years, four months, and 21 days.
June 15, 1899:
A funeral service in memory of Ernest Chausson held in St. François-de-Sales, Paris is attended by hundreds of artists, among them Gabriel Fauré (54), Henri Duparc (51), Isaac Albéniz (39), Claude Debussy (36), Paul Dukas (33), Charles Koechlin (31), Edgar Degas, and Auguste Rodin. His mortal remains are laid to rest in Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.
January 27, 1900:
A string quartet by Ernest Chausson (†0), finished by Vincent d’Indy (48), is performed for the first time, by the Société National de Musique, Paris. Also premiered is Chausson’s song La Chanson bien douce from Deux poèmes de Verlaine op.34 and Dans la forêt du charme et de l’enchantement for voice and piano to words of Moréas from op.36.
March 2, 1901:
Vêpres pour le commun des vierges op.31 for organ by Ernest Chausson (†1) is performed for the first time, in the hall of the Schola Cantorum, Paris.
March 20, 1901:
Cantique à lépouse from Deux mélodies op.36 for voice and piano by Ernest Chausson (†1) to words of Jounet is performed for the first time.
November 30, 1903:
Le roi Arthus, a drame lyrique by Ernest Chausson (†4) to his own words, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels.