Jules Garcin

Jules Auguste, Garcin [Salomon] - (b. Bourges, 11 July 1830 ; d Paris, 10 Oct 1896). Illustrious French violinist, conductor and composer of the 19th century.

His maternal grandfather, Joseph Garcin, was director of a travelling company playing opéra comique in the central and southern provinces of France. Having entered the Paris Conservatoire in adolescence, studying under Clavel and Alard, Garcin took the premier prix for violin in 1853, and entered the Opéra orchestra in 1856.

He became solo violinist, then third conductor in 1871 and finally chief conductor in 1885. His long and successful teaching career at the Conservatoire began in 1875. Garcin’s association with the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire began in 1860, again as orchestral and then as solo violinist.

In 1885 he was elected principal conductor of the Conservatoire concerts. In this post he actively promoted German choral and symphonic masterpieces, from Bach’s B minor Mass (in 1891) to works of Brahms and Wagner (Brahms’s music was then the object of much adverse criticism in Paris during the Franco- Prussian War). Franck’s Symphony in D minor premiere took place on February 17, 1889 at the Paris Conservatoire under the direction of Jules Garcin. This Symphony was dedicated to Henri Duparc, who was a member of “la bande á Franck” at the Conservatoire, along with Vincent d’Indy, Emmanuel Chabrier, and Paul Dukas.

Three years later Garcin relinquished the post because of bad health, but continued teaching. Garcin was a founder-member of the Société Nationale de Musique in 1871. He wrote some music (including a violin concerto and viola concertino), a certain amount of which was published by Lemoine (some now in US-Bp).

Performed on violins by Antonio Stradivari "Il Cremonese" 1715 (now known as the Ex- Joachim), Antonio Stradivari, Cremona 1731 (now known as the Ex-Gracin), as well as Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume "Le Messie" copy of 1868.

Compositions

Canzonetta

Chanson de Mignon, Op. 11

Concertino

Fantasie concertante (Coppelia)

References

François-Joseph Fétis
H. Imbert: Portraits et études (Paris, 1894)
New Grove Dictionary
Encyclopedia of the Violin - Bachmann
A. Dandelot: La Société des concerts du Conservatoire (1828–1923) (Paris, 1898)

The Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, 1828-1967

C. Pierre: Le Conservatoire national de musique et de déclamation (Paris, 1900), 760
E. Hondré, ed.: Le Conservatoire de Paris: regards sur une institution et son histoire (Paris, 1995)