Choron, Alexander, Etienne
1772-1834
Born at Caen, France. He was the founder of a famous school of music in Paris which was supported by the government from 1824 to 1830, was a composer of ability and exerted a good influence on the music of his country. He was a scholar before taking up music and received instruction from Roze, Bonesi, and other Italian professors. He became, in 1805, a music publisher and published the works of famous Italian and German masters and also a work of his own, at great expense, which contained among other things a new system of harmony of his own. He also published a Dictionary of Musicians, in Paris in 1810. Was appointed director of the Academic royale de musique in 1816. His subsidy was so reduced by the Revolution of 1830, that he could not carry put his plans and his premature death is ascribed by Grove to disappointment and the difficulties encountered after the death of Charles X. Among his compositions are a mass for three voices; Stabat Mater for three voices; hymns, psalms, and vocal pieces for church; and his song La Sentinelle is still popular and often introduced in French plays. He also left numerous translations, treatises on music, besides his manuels and encyclopedias and essays.