A CHRONOLOGICAL VIEW OF WESTERN MUSIC HISTORY IN THE CONTEXT OF WORLD EVENTS

Louise Farrenc

Birth icon
May 31, 1804: Jeanne-Louise Dumont (Farrenc) is born in the rue et maison de Sorbonne in the eleventh (presently fifth) arrondissement of Paris, French Republic, second of three children born to Jacques-Edme Dumont, the court sculptor, and Marie Elisabeth Louise Courton. Her parents are married by common law.
Event icon
September 29, 1821: Jeanne-Louise Dumont (17) marries Aristide Farrenc, music publisher, musician, and composer, in Paris.
Birth icon
February 24, 1826: Louise Farrenc (21) gives birth to her only child, Victorine.
Performance icon
April 13, 1840: The Piano Quintet no.1 op.30 by Louise Farrenc (35) is performed completely for the first time, in Paris.
Performance icon
October 28, 1840: Piano Quintet no.2 op.31 by Louise Farrenc (36) is performed for the first time, in Paris.
Event icon
September 10, 1842: Louise Farrenc (38) and Henri Herz (39) are appointed to the position of Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatoire, effective 15 November. They will both teach female students. Herz will be paid 200 francs more than Farrenc.
Performance icon
February 23, 1845: Unable to get a hearing in Paris, Symphony no.1 by Louise Farrenc (40) is performed for the first time, in Brussels.
Performance icon
May 3, 1846: Symphony no.2 op.35 by Louise Farrenc (41) is performed for the first time, in Paris.
Performance icon
April 22, 1849: Symphony no.3 by Louise Farrenc (44) is performed for the first time, at the Paris Conservatoire. Despite the fact that it is programmed with Beethoven’s (†22) Fifth Symphony, it is received well.
Performance icon
March 19, 1850: Nonet op.38 by Louise Farrenc (45) is performed for the first time, in an all-Farrenc program in the Salle Erard, Paris. 19-year-old Joseph Joachim plays violin in all the works. It is a very successful evening.
Event icon
November 11, 1850: Eight years after being hired at the Conservatoire, Louise Farrenc (46) writes to director Daniel Auber (68) that her salary be raised to those faculty of equal rank and experience. This appeal, her second, will be accepted.
Performance icon
March 25, 1851: Violin Sonata no.2 op.39 by Louise Farrenc (46) is performed for the first time, in Paris.
Event icon
April 8, 1861: Two years after the death of her daughter, Louise Farrenc (56) returns to society in a musical evening at Erard’s in Paris. Her music is played, but, more importantly, she and her husband Aristide launch Le Trésor des pianistes, a collection of keyboard works from the last 300 years which they have jointly edited. It receives a very positive popular and critical response.
Event icon
September 28, 1861: Ambroise Thomas (50) reports to the Académie des Beaux-Arts on behalf of the composers’ section on who should receive the Prix Chartier. He recommends it be divided between Adolphe Blanc, Eugène Sauzay, and Louise Farrenc (57). However, the full membership rejects the recommendation and gives the entire prize to Louise Farrenc.
Death icon
January 31, 1865: Music publisher Aristide Farrenc, husband of Louise Farrenc (60), dies suddenly at his home in Paris.
Event icon
June 26, 1869: The Académie des Beaux-Arts votes to award the Prix Chartier to Louise Farrenc (65) for a second time.
Event icon
January 1, 1873: Louise Farrenc (68) retires from her position as Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatoire.