Hélène de Montgeroult facts for kids

Hélène de Nervo de Montgeroult (born March 2, 1764 – died May 20, 1836) was a talented French pianist and composer. She was known for her beautiful music and her strong spirit during a difficult time in French history.

Her Life and Music

Hélène was born into a noble family in Lyon, France. She learned to play the piano from famous teachers like Nicolas Joseph Hüllmandel and Jan Ladislav Dussek. She married the Marquis de Montgeroult. Sadly, her husband died in 1793 while he was a prisoner of war.

During the French Revolution, Hélène was arrested because of her noble background. This was a very dangerous time called the Reign of Terror. Many people were put in prison or worse. But Hélène was saved because of her amazing musical talent. She played some improvisations, which are like spontaneous musical pieces, based on the French national anthem, La Marseillaise. She performed these for a powerful group called the Committee of Public Safety. Her music impressed them so much that she was set free!

After her husband's death, Hélène started teaching at the new Paris Conservatoire in 1795. She was the very first female professor ever to teach there. She taught for two years and later published several books of her music. She passed away in Florence, Italy.

Her Published Music

Hélène de Montgeroult created many musical works. Here are some of her important publications:

• Three Sonatas for Piano, Op. 1 (published in Paris, 1795).
• Three Sonatas for Piano (with violin accompaniment for the 3rd Sonata), Op. 2 (published in Paris, 1800).
• Piece for Piano, Op. 3 (published in Paris, 1804).
• Fantasies, numbers 1, 2, 3 [Op. 4?] (published in Paris, around 1810).
• Three Sonatas for Piano, Op. 5 (published in Paris, 1811).
• Six Nocturnes for Solo Voice with Piano Accompaniment, Op. 6 (published in Paris, by 1807).
• Complete Course for Teaching Piano, 3 volumes (published in Paris, 1820). This huge collection included 972 exercises and 114 studies to help people learn the piano.

Images for kids

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  Hélène de Montgeroult, painted by Richard Cosway around 1786.

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  In Spanish: Hélène de Montgeroult for kids