Pessard, Emile Louis Fortune

1843-

French composer; born at Montmartre, a suburb of Paris. He was educated in music at the Paris Conservatory, studying harmony under Bazin, organ with Benoist, piano with Laurent, and composition under Carafa, and in 1862 took the first prize in harmony. In 1866 his cantata, Dalila, won the Grand Prize of Rome. From 1878 to 1880 he was inspector of singing in the public schools; in 1881 became professor of harmony at the Conservatory; and since 1895 has been musical critic of L'fivenement. He is an officer of the Legion of Honor and director of musical instruction for that society. Besides songs; masses; motets; orchestral suites; piano and chamber-music; he has composed the following operas: La Cruche Cassee, and Le Char, both in one act; Le Capitaine Fracasse; Tabarin; Les Folies amoreuses; Mam'zelle Carabin; Le Muet; and La Dame de Trefle. He also wrote incidental music to Tartarin sur les Alpes in 1887 and Une Nuit de Noel in 1893.