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Albéric Magnard
(1865–1914)

Other names: Lucien Denis Gabriel Albéric

Biographical

A French composer, Magnard's mother died when he was four, and his early life was marked by loneliness, a theme reflected in his first op.15 song. Raised by his father, François Magnard, editor of Le Figaro, their relationship was strained due to Alberic's resentment of his privileged status and the pressure to use his family’s influence. He took the name Albéric from his godfather, the feuilletoniste Albéric Second. After completing his law studies and military service, he chose a music career, inspired by his 1886 visit to Bayreuth, where he attended a performance of Tristan und Isolde. He then studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Dubois and Massenet, graduating in 1888, and through his friend Ropartz, met César Franck and Chausson. His early works were shaped under the mentorship of Vincent d'Indy. After his father’s death in 1894, Magnard struggled with a mix of grief, gratitude, and loss, which he channelled into a new phase of artistic development. In 1896, he began teaching at the Schola Cantorum, and faced the onset of partial deafness, which heightened his sense of isolation. Though he received some critical recognition, most of his works were rarely performed, and his tendency to self-publish limited their reach, contributing to his growing disillusionment. Magnard was known for his pride, aloofness, and sardonic wit, traits possibly amplified by his deafness, though he could form warm friendships. Indifferent to public opinion, he expressed his disdain for the Dreyfus affair and maintained a reputation for moral strictness, stemming from his rebellion against a privileged upbringing. His music, driven by a sense of denial, focused on clarity and form rather than the lush chromaticism or impressionism of his time, with vocal works prioritising instrumental concerns and operas reflecting a notably dark tone. Magnard’s music, though often seen as austere, is well-crafted, rhythmically dynamic, and passionate, with a clear structure. His four symphonies, transcending the Franck-d'Indy tradition, foreshadow Roussel, incorporating unique scherzos and a style that blends classical form with the grandeur of fugue, chorale, and hymn, resembling a French version of Bruckner. In 1904, Magnard settled with his family at the Manoir des Fontaines in Baron. When war broke out, he sent his family to safety but stayed behind, having been disqualified from military service due to his age. During a German raid, he reportedly killed one soldier before the Germans set the house on fire, and Magnard perished in the blaze, with his body and some of his works lost in the flames.

Place of birth: Paris
Place of death: Baron, Oise

Son of Francis Magnard and Émilie Bauder, he married Julia Creton in 1896, and had issue, including Ève (*1901).


Magnard family
 
                      (1)\               /(2)
               Émilie  =  Francis Magnard  = Olympe 
               Bauduer |    (1837-1894)      Broyez 
                †1869  |                     †1916
                       |
                       |    (1896)
                    Alberic    =  Julia
                 (1865-1914k)  |  Creton
                               |  †1940
                               | 
                          _____|_____
                         |           |  
                         |           |  
                        Ève       Ondine   =  Jan
                      (1901-)    (1904-68) | Vlach
                                           | †1962
                                           v