Marie Emmanuelle Bayon Louis facts for kids
Marie-Emmanuelle Bayon Louis (born June 6, 1745, died March 29, 1825) was a talented French musician. She was a composer, a pianist, and hosted famous gatherings called "salons." Many people at the time said she helped make the fortepiano popular in France. A fortepiano is an early type of piano. In 1770, she married an architect named Victor Louis. She wrote several pieces of music. Her most famous works include six keyboard sonatas and an opéra-comique called Fleur d’épine (which means "May-Flower"). An opéra-comique is a type of opera with spoken dialogue and songs.
Her Life and Music
Marie-Emmanuelle Bayon learned music from a young age. She mentioned that the family of Madame la Marquise de Langeron was very kind to her. This suggests they supported her musical training. When she was about 21, she became involved with Madame de Genlis's salon. A salon was a gathering where people discussed ideas, art, and music.
Her good friend, Denis Diderot, was a famous writer. He was part of the group that created the first Encyclopédie. Diderot hired Marie-Emmanuelle to teach music to his daughter, Angélique. He even compared her music to other well-known composers in Paris.
After she married Victor Louis, their home also became a place for special salons. In 1774, their only child, Marie-Hélène-Victoire Louis, was born. Madame Louis wrote her opéra-comique, Fleur d’épine, between 1775 and 1776. After her husband died in 1800, she stayed in Paris. She passed away at her family's country home near Rouen.
Her Published Works
Marie-Emmanuelle Bayon Louis published several musical pieces.
- Six Sonatas, Op. 1: These were published in Paris in 1769. Three of these sonatas included parts for the violin.
- Fleur d’épine: The full music score for this two-act opéra-comique was published in Paris in 1776.
