Description
Maria-Félicie-Clémence de Grandval (1828–1907) was born on January 28, 1828 at Saint-
Rémy-des-Monts, France and died on January 15, 1907 in Paris.After the death of her mother, Louise Adèle du Temple de Mésières, her father the Baron de Reiset, a military officer remarried with an Englishwoman and moved his family to London. After beginning her musical studies privately, she studied the piano with the German composer Friedrich von Flotow, who was a family friend. Returning to France, she studied the piano briefly with Chopin and composition with Camille Saint-Saëns. At first writing mostly sacred music, most of her public success was due to her comic operas: la Comtesse Eva, la Pénitente, Piccolino and Mazeppa. She also wrote orchestral music, chamber music, and over 60 songs (to poets such as Sully Prudhomme, Michel Carré, Henri Meilhac, Georges Hartmann, Charles Grandmougin and Louis Gallet.) She is chiefly known today for her music for wind instruments, especially for the oboe.