Lafage, Juste Adrien Lenoir de

1801-1862

Church composer and writer on music; born in Paris. He at first studied for the church, then for the army, and finally took up music. First a pupil of Feme's, he afterwards studied under Choron, eventually becoming his assistant master. In 1828 he was sent bv the government to Rome, where he studied under Baini, the next year appointed chapelmaster of Saint-fitienne-du-Mont in Paris. In 1848 he visited Italy, Germany, Spain and England. He was an author and editor-in-chief of Le Plain-Chant, a periodical which he founded in 1859. Lafage composed both vocal and instrumental music of all kinds, but is more famous for his writings, Cours complet de Plainchant, in two volumes; Nouveau traite de Plain-chant remain; and his Histoire generate de la musique. The last named is incomplete, treating only of Chinese, Indian, Egyptian and Hebrew music. Overwork brought on a nervous affection which unbalanced his mind and he was taken to the asylum for the insane at Charenton, where he died.