Hedwige Chrétien
French
Female
Born 1849, Died 1944
Little is known about Hedwige Chrétien. She was born in France and studied at the Paris Conservatory with César Franck. She gained several awards and prizes from 1875 onwards, including for solfège, piano, harmony, accompaniment, counterpoint and fugue.
In 1887 she married fellow student, the flautist Paolo Gennaro. They had at least two children, Marcel and Cécile, both of whom became professional musicians. By 1890, Chrétien joined the staff of the Paris Conservatory to teach music theory but resigned two years later to concentrate on her composition.
Chrétien composed steadily, producing approximately 250 works including thirty chamber and orchestral works, two comic operas, 70 songs and a hundred piano pieces. Much of her music is held at the Bibliothèque nationale in France and the Women Composers Collection at the University of Michigan.
In 1887 she married fellow student, the flautist Paolo Gennaro. They had at least two children, Marcel and Cécile, both of whom became professional musicians. By 1890, Chrétien joined the staff of the Paris Conservatory to teach music theory but resigned two years later to concentrate on her composition.
Chrétien composed steadily, producing approximately 250 works including thirty chamber and orchestral works, two comic operas, 70 songs and a hundred piano pieces. Much of her music is held at the Bibliothèque nationale in France and the Women Composers Collection at the University of Michigan.