Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, was a French violinist, composer, and conductor who lived from 1745 to 1799. He was also one of the best fencers in Europe and, later, a colonel in the French army. He was born in the Caribbean to an enslaved mother, and he rose to lead one of the finest orchestras in Paris. The best first piece for a child is the last movement of his Violin Concerto in A major, Op. 5, No. 2.
Quick facts
- Born: 1745, on the island of Guadeloupe
- Died: 1799, in Paris, France
- Era: Classical
- Played: violin
- Known for: violin concertos, string quartets, and symphonies for two solo violins
The life in short
Joseph was born on Guadeloupe, a French island in the Caribbean. His father was a wealthy French planter. His mother, Nanon, was an enslaved woman of African descent.
When Joseph was about seven, his father took him to France to be educated. At 13, he entered a famous fencing school in Paris. He also learned riding, dancing, and music.
By his late teens, few fencers in France could beat him. The king gave him a post in the royal guard and the title “chevalier,” which means knight.
At the same time, he was becoming a brilliant violinist. In 1769, he joined a new orchestra in Paris. Within four years, he was its leader. He wrote violin concertos to play with the orchestra himself.
In 1776, he was proposed as director of the Paris Opera. Several of its star singers sent a petition to the queen. They refused to take orders from a man of color. He withdrew his name.
He went on to lead another orchestra, which asked Haydn to write six new symphonies. Saint-Georges conducted their first performances. Those six are still called the “Paris” symphonies. Read Haydn for kids.
When the French Revolution came, he took the side of the new republic. He became colonel of a regiment of about a thousand soldiers of color, the first of its kind in Europe.
During the most violent months of the Revolution, he was put in prison for about a year with no trial. He was freed, and he died in Paris a few years later.
What the music sounds like
Saint-Georges wrote in the clear, graceful style of Haydn and Mozart. His violin parts climb high and move fast, because he wrote them for his own hands.
He was among the first French composers to write string quartets. He also wrote pieces called symphonies concertantes, in which two soloists share the stage with the orchestra.
Pieces to play first
Violin Concerto in A major, Op. 5, No. 2, last movement. A cheerful dance tune that keeps coming back between bursts of fast solo playing.
Symphony No. 2 in D major, first movement. Bright, quick, and four minutes long. He also used it as the overture to one of his operas.
Symphonie concertante in G major, Op. 13. Two solo violins trade phrases like two friends finishing each other’s sentences.
Violin Concerto in G major, Op. 2, No. 1, slow movement. A gentle, singing tune that shows his quieter side.
Things to do together
Two soloists. Play the Symphonie concertante. Point left for one violin and right for the other as they take turns.
High notes. Play the fast movement of a violin concerto. Raise your hand each time the violin climbs to its highest notes.
Fence the beat. Stand in a fencer’s pose. Step forward on each strong beat of the music and back on the weak ones.
Many jobs. List the things Saint-Georges did: fencer, violinist, composer, conductor, soldier. Ask your child which they would choose.
About a nickname
Some writers have called him “the Black Mozart.” Many musicians now avoid the name. Saint-Georges was 11 years older than Mozart, and he was famous in Paris when the young Mozart came to visit. His music stands on its own.
Why his music was forgotten
After he died, his music was seldom played for nearly 200 years. Much of it has been printed and recorded again since the 1970s, and orchestras now play it more often.
Print and play
Fill in a composer study notebook page for Saint-Georges. Read about more Black composers in Black composers for kids: ten to know. For the music of his time, see Classical era music for kids and violin for kids.
For more composers by era, see classical composers for kids.
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This article is part of Classical composers for kids: a guide by era, from Vivaldi to Britten.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.