The Inventory

of the

Paris, Conservatoire Nationale de Musique

Collection

#238

Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center

Paris, Conservatoire Nationale de Musique

#238

Gift of Carleton Lake, 1964

Box 1

I. Group I. The Foundation, Organization, and Internal History of the Conservatoire.

Folder 1

A. Organisation du Conservatoire de Musique. 8vo, stitched and uncut.

Paris [1796]. First edition of the act establishing the institution.

B. Bulletin de Lois. No. 469. 8vo, stitched and uncut. Paris, 1812.

Contains Napoleon=s laws regulating the Théâtre Français; its relations

with the Conservatoire.

Folder 2

C. Réglemens of the Conservatoire. Enactments of 1800, 1808, 1822, 1841

and 1850. Ms. in various hands, containing the governing laws of the

institution. 4to, half cloth and boards. The two last edicts are printed,

with Ms., annotation.

Folder 3

D. The Réglemens of 1841. Ms. file of correspondence (originals sent to

Luigi Cherubini, copies of answers from him to the Minister of the

Interior), letters to the Duc de Choiseul, head of the commission to

establish new governing laws for the Conservatoire in 1841, the year

before Cherubini=s retirement as director. 4to sheets, 20 pp., in original

filing wrapper. 31 March 1835 and following years, through 1841.

Folder 4

E. ...Réglemens. Paris, 1841. Printed copy of the Conservatoire

instrument, bound in half green calf and green cloth, lettered in gold on

front cover for presentation to Ferrière. Also contains the internal rules

(1843) and a copy of the special ordinance of 1832. With Ms. annotations

by Ferrière.

Folder 5

F. Another copy of the 1841 Réglemens, original blue printed wrappers.

G. Two copies of the 1843 internal rules, in original wrappers.

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Box 1 cont=d.

H. Report of the 1848 Commission on the Conservatoire, submitted to the

Minsiter of the Interior, to revise the statutes and by-laws. Auber

(Director) was president; other members included Halévy, Marmontel, and

Prevost. Small folio, original tan printed wrappers.

I. Commission of 1863. File of Ms. and printed material, 1863-64, of the

commission to recommend the printing of ancient music. In original

filing folder. Auber, Berlioz, Reber, and Thomas were among the

members. 11 printed items; 6 Mss.; 8vo and 4to.

Folder 6

J. Manuscript of the minutes and deliberations of the Commission of 1870,

established to revised the operating statutes of the Conservatoire. Small

folio, green cloth binding. Begins with the act to establish the

commission, then follow attendance records of the meetings; then the

secretary=s minutes (in pencil) of the deliberations, with a protest from

professors of the conservatory. The letter of the Minister to Auber,

against the protest, is also present. Among the commissioners were

Auber, Augier, Théophile Gautier, Gounod, and Thomas. In all, 136 pp.

Box 2

Folder 1

K. Original file of contracts and agreements with students, showing the forms

used and the points covered. With some correspondence of the Director=s

office, 1825-1870. 10 items; 4to. Printed material and manuscript.

Folder 2

L. Original file of edicts regulating teaching requirements at the

Conservatoire, 1817-1867. With correspondence on the subject. From

the files of Cherubini and Auber. 14 items, Ms.; 8vo and folio.

Folder 3

M. Two files on vacations and times of session, 1816-1896. Extra days were

granted for the taking of Sevastopol and for the coronation of Czar

Nicholas II. 6 items, Ms.; 4to and small folio.

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Box 2 cont=d.

Folder 4

N. Orginal file of drafts, correspondence and rules setting forth regulation of

classes, 1816 to 1855. The hands of Cherubini, Auber, and Halévy

appear. 15 items, Ms.; 8vo and small folio.

Folder 5

O. Original file of internal regulations, 1842-1860. 17 leaves, 4to and folio.

Folder 6

P. Original file of internal rules, with some records, from 1832 until 1903.

Approximately 50 items, printed and Ms., reflecting day-to-day operations.

Much of the Ms. material is of biographical interest; e.g., attendance

records during the Siege of Paris show that, among others, Mlle. Bernhardt

attended the declamation classes.

Folder 7

Q. Collection of 14 clippings, 1860's, giving details about the Conservatoire.

Box 3

II. Group II. Exhibitions and expositions, festivals of music and the arts, juries,

commissions.

Folder 1

A. Paris Concours, 1876. Two printed pamphlets about the exhibition; MS.

grant of funds from the city of Paris; minutes of the prize jury;

correspondence with Ambroise Thomas, director; details of manuscripts

submitted to the jury.

Folder 2

B. Exposition of 1878. Regulations and correspondence regarding the

activities of the Conservatoire. 9 Mss., 8 printed items; the hand of

Ambroise Thomas appears frequently.

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Box 3 cont=d.

Folder 3

C. Exposition of 1889. Material (chiefly printed) on the Fair and the

Conservatoire=s place in its activities.

Folder 4

D. Original file, 14 pieces (4to and small folio), 1842-1879, about juries and

official functions of the Conservatoire and its officials.

Folders 5-6

E. Original file of correspondence, 1854-1890, chiefly to and from Ambroise

Thomas, about festivals and concerts in France, Belgium, and Holland, in

which the support of the Conservatoire was enlisted. In all, 131 items,

giving a conspectus of the official musical life of France during a period of

35 years.

III. Group III. Records of Concerts in Paris, under Conservatoire auspices. Box 4:

1825-1841. Box 5: 1842-1892.

Complete official records of 63 concerts sponsored by the Conservatoire, 1825-

1892 (most of them in the 1825-1850 period), giving the programs, contracts,

expenses, receipts, seating plans, records of performances, and related

information.

A full and revealing archive of French musical history and taste: the material is

studded with such names as Liszt, Chopin, Hiller, Franck, Sontag, Alboni,

Viardot, Rubinstein, Berlioz, Offenbach, and other leading composers and

performers. As an example, the full records are present for the concert of 25

April 1841 which Franz Liszt gave to raise funds for the Beethoven monument;

the orchestra was conducted by Hector Berlioz.

Box 4

Folder 1

A. 1825.

Folder 2

B. 1826.

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Box 4 cont=d.

Folder 3

C. 1828.

Folder 4

D. 1829.

Folder 5

E. 1830.

Folder 6

F. 1831.

Folder 7

G. 1833.

Folder 8

H. 1834.

Folder 9

I. 1835.

Folder 10

J. 1836.

Folder 11

K. 1837.

Folder 12

L. 1838.

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Box 4 cont=d.

Folder 13

M. 1839.

Folder 14

N. 1840.

Folder 15

O . 1841.

Folder 16

P. Franz Liszt=s Concert for the Beethoven Monument, 1841.

Box 5

Folder 1

Q. 1842.

Folder 2

R. 1843.

Folder 3

S. 1844.

Folder 4

T. 1845.

Folder 5

U. 1846.

Folder 6

V. 1847.

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Box 5 cont=d.

Folder 7

W. 1848.

Folder 8

X. 1850.

Folder 9

Y. 1858.

Folder 10

Z. 1872.

Folder 11

AA. 1873.

Folder 12

BB. 1875.

Folder 13

CC. 1877.

Folder 14

DD. 1882.

Folder 15

EE. 1885.

Folder 16

FF. 1892.

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Boxes 6 and 7

IV. Group IV. Methods of teaching music, new instruments, musical theory and

composition.

Files on new instruments, the declamation classes, and related toppics. The

letters and reports (1821-1881) chiefly represent the files of Luigi Cherubini and

Auber,

also Ambroise Thomas as director: new instruments such as the Beryton and

violin-tenor are reported on, but most of the 496 items deal with methods of

teaching instrumental music, vocal music, and declamation.

Box 8

V. Group V. The Conservatoire and the Prix de Rome.

The establishment of the prize (1834); the various committees for awarding the

prize, with appointments of juries, material circulated among the jury members,

biographical information on contestants, the deliberations and votes of the juries;

the identification slips of the winners. The 1869 committee, for example,

included Auber, Berlioz, Saint-Saens, and others. For the years 1882 and 1884,

when Debussy competed, Gounod, Massenet and Saint-Saens were jury members.

In all, 199 documents, 1834-1897. Some award programs are present. Of great

biographical interest. The reports are filled with the signatures of distinguished

composers and authors of the period.

Box 9

VI. Group VI. The Provincial Conservatories B Marseilles, Dijon, Lille.

The Paris Conservatory maintained affiliated branches in a number of French

provincial cities.

A. Marseilles. Original dossier of 261 pieces (chiefly 4to in size) from the

affiliation of the city music school with the Conservatoire in 1834.

Includes a long series of personal correspondence from August Morel to

Ambroise Thomas, reflecting not only the musical news of Marseilles, but

of the entire country. Reports, official correspondence, concert programs.

Box 10

B. Dijon. Original file of letters, reports, programs, posters, of the affiliated

conservatory of music in Dijon from its relationship with the Paris

institution in 1844 thorugh 1897. In all, 113 items.

1. Barthe.

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Box 10 cont=d.

a. Music Ms., 6 triple staves, folio. Trombone theme for

Conservatoire concours, July 1885.

b. Music Ms., 5 double staves, folio. Harp theme for

Conservatroire concours, July 1878.

2. Bizet, Georges. Music Ms., 9 triple staves, folio; with a

contemporary transcript. Oboe theme for Conservatoire concours,

July 1874. Of great rarity in music manuscript.

3. Cherubini, Luigi.

a. Music Ms., 9 double staves, small folio; with contemporary

transcription. Contra-bass theme for Conservatoire

concours, 1834. Also used in subsequent years.

b. Music Ms., 8 double staves, 4to; with contemporary

transcription. Contra-bass theme for Conservatoire

concours, 1832. Also used in subsequent years.

c. Notations on contemporary copy of his music; 10 double

staves, small folio. Violin theme for Conservatoire

concours, 1834. Also used in later years. With a second

contemporary transcription.

4. Delibes, Léo. Music Ms. signed (initials), 7 triple staves, folio.

Oboe theme for Conservatoire concours, July 1886.

5. Milhaud, Darius. Music Ms., signed; 6 double staves, folio.

Piano improvisation for Conservatoire concours, 7 May 1948.

6. Pugno, Raoul. Music Ms., 10 double staves, folio. Bassoon

theme for Conservatoire concours, July 1897.

7. Tailleferre, Germaine. Music Ms. signed; 8 double staves, folio.

Piano theme for Conservatoire concours, 1947.

8. Thomas, Ambroise. Music Ms., 17 double staves, folio. Piano

sketch, probably for a Conservatoire concours; dynamics marked.

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Box 11

C. Lille. Original dossier of letters, reports, and allied material, from the

affiliation of the school in 1823 until 1895. In all, more than 300 items.

Box 12

VII. Group VII. Letters from the files of the Directors of the Conservatoire.

The 238 pieces, of varying sizes, date from Cherubini=s time in 1838 until 1955;

they carry the names of Cherubini, Auber, Thomas, Dubois, and Fauré, among

others, and bear notes and annotations by them, with outlines of answers to

correspondence. The series reflects many facts of French musical life. Among

the musicians represented are Ambroise Thomas, Gounod, Schmitt, Viardot,

Cortot, Respighi, Philipp, Massenet, and César Franck.

VIII. Group VIII. A copy of Lassabathie=s volume, Histoire du Conservatoire Imérial

de Musique et de Déclamation (Paris, 1860), 8vo, half leather. [NOTE: This

volume has been moved to the book vault.]