One of the most unique and interesting figures in the French musical
world of the close of the eighteenth century is Etienne Nicolas Méhul.
Sprung from comparative obscurity, he mounted to a world-wide fame.
Starting out in life with the scantiest educational advantages, he
reached a high degree of elegant culture. Living in a most dissolute
period, he retained through life an irreproachable character. The son of
a cook in a regimental barracks, he was tendered the position of
chapelmaster by the great Napoleon.
Méhul was born at Givet, in the Ardennes, June 22, 1763. Like many other
great composers, he was of low degree, had but few opportunities for
study at the start, and struggled hard to gain his musical footing. His
talent displayed itself at an early age and he himself never had a doubt
as to his ultimate vocation in life, though his naturally religious
disposition had predetermined his parents to send him to a monastery. At
ten years of age he played in the Franciscan Church at Givet, such
qualifications as he may have had being the result of his studies with a
blind organist. Shortly after this time, Wilhelm Hauser, a distinguished
German organist, arrived at the neighboring convent of La Val Dieu,
whither the boy repaired to pursue his studies. He was fortunate enough
to attract the favorable attention of the Abbé Lissoir, under whose
auspices he studied for three years with Hauser. He made such rapid
progress that he soon equalled his master and was appointed deputy
organist at the convent. It is altogether probable that he would have
been his successor had not good fortune attended him again. His playing
attracted the notice of an officer of the garrison, who was a musical
amateur, and it needed but little solicitation to induce the boy to go
to Paris. He arrived at the capital in his sixteenth year and placed
himself under the tuition of Edelmann, a Strasburg composer of eminence,
who some years afterward deserted music for politics and perished
ultimately upon the same scaffold to which he had consigned many a
victim. With Edelmann he studied both the piano and composition,
supporting himself meanwhile by giving lessons and writing sonatas and
minor compositions for that instrument. The genius of his good fortune
did not desert him in these days of stress. It was shortly after his
arrival in Paris that Gluck’s “Iphigénia en Tauride” was placed in
rehearsal. The popular interest in the performance had been heightened
by the feud which had raged so bitterly between the Gluck and Piccini
factions. Méhul caught the infection and, being without the money to
purchase a ticket, he smuggled himself into the theatre the day before,
intending to remain in concealment until the next eventful evening. He
was discovered, however, by one of the inspectors, and as the latter was
on the point of ejecting him, Gluck’s attention was drawn to him. He
made some inquiries, and upon learning the facts in the case gave the
young man a ticket. It was the turning-point in his career and decided
the direction he should take; for Gluck followed up the chance
acquaintance, took a decided interest in Méhul, gave him the benefit of
his experience and advice and instructed him in the dramatic qualities
of music. The young composer already had produced a cantata at the
Concert Spirituel, written upon the subject of Rousseau’s Sacred Ode,
and was ambitious to become known as a composer of church music, for the
religious element was always strong in him; but Gluck changed all this
and set his feet in the path of the opera, which he was destined to
follow to the end of his life.
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