A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Sauzay, Charles

SAUZAY, Charles Eugene, an eminent French violinist, was born at Paris, July 14, 1809. In 1823 he entered the Conservatoire, and in his second year became the pupil of Baillot and of Reicha. He obtained the 2nd violin prize in 1825, the 1st do., and the second for fugue, in 1827. A few years later he joined Baillot's quartet, first as second violin and then as tenor, vice Urhan, married Mlle. Baillot, and continued one of her father's party till its dissolution in 1840. He soon rose rapidly both in society and as a professor. In 1840 he was made first violin to Louis Philippe, and afterwards leader of the second violins to the Emperor Napoleon III. In 1860 he succeeded Girard as professor at the Conservatoire. His own quartet party started after the termination of Baillot's, embracing his wife and Boely as pianists, Norblin and Franchomme; gave its concerts, sometimes with and sometimes without orchestra, in the Salle Pleyel. Sauzay is mentioned by Hiller as one of Mendelssohn's acquaintances during his stay in Paris in 1830. He was greatly sought after both as a player and a teacher. His publications are not important, and consist of incidental music to 'Georges Dandin' and 'Le Sicilien,' cleverly written in the style of Lully to suit the date of the pieces; fantasias and romances; a PF. trio; songs; 'Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven; Etude sur le quatuor' (Paris 1861), a disappointing work from the pen of a musician of so much eminence and experience; 'L'école de l'accompagnement' (Paris 1869), a sequel to the foregoing. He has now in the press a series of 'Etudes harmoniques' for the violin.

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