Composer, Conductor, Cornetist: a Biography of Jean-Baptiste
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COMPOSER, CONDUCTOR, CORNETIST: A BIOGRAPHY OF JEAN-BAPTISTE SCHILTZ (FL.1831-1868) AND A SURVEY OF HIS WORKS FOR CORNET AND PIANO A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science By Kenneth Leroy Jimenez, Jr. In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS Major Department: Music May 2016 Fargo, North Dakota North Dakota State University Graduate School Title COMPOSER, CONDUCTOR, CORNETIST: A BIOGRAPHY OF JEAN- BAPTISTE SCHILTZ (FL.1831-1868) AND A SURVEY OF HIS WORKS FOR CORNET AND PIANO By Kenneth Leroy Jimenez, Jr. The Supervisory Committee certifies that this disquisition complies with North Dakota State University’s regulations and meets the accepted standards for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: Dr. Jeremy Brekke Chair Dr. Matthew Patnode Dr. John Miller Dr. Jeanne Hageman Approved: 5/24/2016 Dr. John Miller Date Department Chair ABSTRACT In its heyday, the cornet was a popular instrument and the brass instrument of choice for virtuosi worldwide. Cornet soloists such as Jean-Baptiste Arban (1825–1889) and Herbert Lincoln Clarke (1867–1945) impressed audiences with their technical prowess, and the solos they composed for cornet are in wide use today. However, the story of the cornet did not start with Arban or Clarke; an entire generation of cornetists had come before them, and they too wrote their own solos. This generation of cornetists was crucial in the development of the instrument. As performers, they helped to refine the cornet from a musical experiment to an immensely popular instrument, and as composers, their solos helped to propel the cornet on this popular path and inspired later virtuosi like Arban and Clarke. This disquisition addresses the limited information on early cornetists and their solos by providing new information about composer-cornetist Jean-Baptiste Schiltz (fl.1831-1868). Though Schiltz was an important figure in Paris during the first half of the nineteenth century, little has been written about him or his compositions. By consulting contemporary periodicals and modern scholarship, I am able to provide new biographical information on Schiltz, who was a pioneering performer on cornet, trumpet, and trombone. Additionally, I conduct a survey of Schiltz’s many works for cornet and piano. By thoroughly examining some of the surveyed works I demonstrate that Schiltz had a clear understanding of the capabilities of early cornets and cornetists, and that he chose particular melodies, keys, and even the length of the cornet itself in order to work around limitations. I also describe the historical value of the surveyed works and their possible uses today. Ultimately, this disquisition demonstrates that Schiltz was an important historical figure, and that his works for cornet and piano are valuable additions to the trumpet repertoire and ideal for trumpet instructors to use with students. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This disquisition is the culmination of countless hours of research, analysis, and writing. However, many have taken the time to share their insights and experiences with me and assist me in all steps of the writing process. Consequently, I wish to acknowledge all who shared their time and expertise to assist me in completing this document. I would like to thank my adviser, Dr. Jeremy Brekke, for assisting me throughout my time at North Dakota State University. His support was crucial for me to attempt this work, and his helpful comments allowed me to refine this disquisition. I would also like to thank Dr. John Miller for helping me not only with this document, but with all aspects of my career at NDSU. Working with him has shown me a level of dedication and professionalism that I aspire to achieve. I must also express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Jeanne Hageman, whose assistance was crucial in proofing the many translations created as a part of this research. I also wish to thank Dr. Matthew Patnode and Dr. Kyle Mack, not only for their work as members of my committee, but for helping me grow as a jazz musician. I must also thank Dr. Annett Richter, whose tireless effort made this document possible. This disquisition could not have been completed without the help of several other scholars who were willing to share their resources with me. I must thank Dr. Robert Hazen of George Mason University for providing me with many of the compositions referenced in this document. I must also thank Yann Celton of the Bibliothèque diocésaine de Quimper in Quimper, France, and Efrat Mor of Bar-Ilan University in Ramat-Gan, Israel for providing me with several additional scores, as well as Olivier Roduit of the Abbaye de Saint-Maurice in Saint-Maurice, Switzerland and the staff of the Österreichische Staatsbibliothek in Vienna, Austria and the Bibliothèque nationale et universitaire in Strasbourg, France for allowing me to use their resources in preparing this document. I am also deeply indebted to William Hull Faust iv of Columbus, OH for allowing me to use an unrestored cornet from his personal collection as part of my research. Several scholars took their time to share their expertise with me, and their insights helped me to create my argument. I would like to thank Sabine Klaus of the National Music Museum for her help in dating one of my cornets, as well as Therese Sutula of the University of Minnesota Morris for her invaluable insight in music theory and idiomatic writing for the piano. I also wish to thank Jean-François Madeuf of Les cuivres romantiques and his student Christophe Rostang for their immense knowledge on Parisian brass music of the nineteenth century. Special thanks go to Dara Lohnes Davies of the National Music Museum for her fine work in photographing my instrument collection for this document, and to the National Music Museum in Vermillion, SD for allowing me to use their photographic equipment and facilities. Finally, I must thank my father, Ken Jimenez, my former teachers Dr. Thomas Muehlenbeck-Pfotenhauer at the University of Minnesota Duluth and Dr. Scott Meredith at the University of Wyoming, former band directors Vince Proctor and Doug Hopkins, and all others who have helped me throughout the writing process, and whose support was crucial for me to overcome the many difficulties involved. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ................................................................................................ ix LIST OF APPENDIX TABLES ......................................................................................................x CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................1 CHAPTER 2. BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION FOR JEAN-BAPTISTE SCHILTZ (FL. 1831-1868) ...............................................................................................................................4 CHAPTER 3. CROOKS, BITS, AND CLAPPER KEYS: THE DESIGN OF CORNETS USED IN SCHILTZ’S EARLY CAREER ....................................................................................31 CHAPTER 4. A SURVEY OF WORKS FOR CORNET AND PIANO BY JEAN-BAPTISTE SCHILTZ ........................................................................................................46 CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION: SCHILTZ’S IMPORTANCE IN MUSIC HISTORY AND THE VALUE OF HIS COMPOSITIONS ......................................................................................81 REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................89 APPENDIX A. LIST OF WORKS FOR CORNET AND PIANO BY JEAN-BAPTISTE SCHILTZ .....................................................................................................................................107 APPENDIX B. SYNOPSIS OF CLAPISSON’S “LA FIGURANTE” ........................................113 APPENDIX C. A TRANSLATION OF JEAN-LOUIS DUFRÈNE’S (1810-1866) DESCRIPTION OF NOTATION PRACTICES FOR THE CORNET FROM HIS GRANDE METHODE RAISONNÉE DE CORNET-TROMPETTE À PISTONS (1834) .............119 APPENDIX D. A TRANSLATION OF A PORTION OF JEAN-BAPTISTE SCHILTZ’S L’ART DU CORNET À TROIS PISTONS (1840) WHICH DETAILS THE ADDITION OF A THIRD VALVE TO THE CORNET AND NOTATION PRACTICES FOR THE CORNET......................................................................................................................................121 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Analysis of Schiltz and Fessy's 2e fantaisie sur des motifs de “Guillaume Tell” .............62 2. Analysis of Schiltz’s Fantaisie sur “La figurante” op. 62 ................................................68 3. Analysis of Schiltz and Fessy's 9e fantaisie sur des motifs de “Les diamants de la couronne” ..........................................................................................................................74 4. Analysis of Schiltz’s “Roméo et Juliette” fantaisie ..........................................................79