Jean-Baptiste Weckerlin


Jean-Baptiste Théodore Weckerlin or Wekerlin was an Alsatian French composer and music publisher.

Biography

He was born at Guebwiller, Alsace. In 1844, he began his musical career, studying singing with Ponchard and composition with Fromental Halévy at the Paris Conservatory. In 1847, he brought out his heroic symphony Roland. In 1853, Weckerlin was most successful in the production of a one-act comic opera, L'organiste dans l'embarras. In 1869, he was appointed assistant librarian to the Conservatory.
In 1863, he produced his comic opera Die dreifach Hochzeit im Bäsethal, and in 1879 Der verhäxt Herbst. These were both in Alsatian dialect. In 1877, he brought out the one-act opera Après Fontenoy. In 1876, he became Félicien David's successor as librarian at the Conservatory and published in 1885 a biographical catalogue. Later he became librarian of the Société des Compositeurs. He gained great renown as a composer of choral works. He married Marie Damoreau, the daughter of Madame Laure Cinti-Damoreau, the prima donna of Rossini's French operas.
Weckerlin is best remembered for his piano arrangements of traditional French songs, notably the bergerette, a particular kind of pastoral air, originally for voice accompanied by harpsichord, harp or guitar. His major work, Bergerettes, romances et chansons du XVIII siécle, was published in 1860.
It is recorded that "He died in Trottberg" but an obituary on his death in 1910 ran:

Works

Among his works are:
Writings
His Histoire de l'instrumentation depuis le seizième siècle jusqu'à l'époque actuelle won the gold medal of the Académie in 1875. His Musiciana, extraits d’ouvrages rare ou bizarre describes the cat organ and piganino.

Recordings