Jeanne Leleu (29 December 1898 – 11 March 1979) was a

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

pianist and composer. She was born in

Saint-Mihiel Saint-Mihiel () is a commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. Geography Saint-Mihiel lies on the banks of the river Meuse. History A Benedictine abbey was established here in 708 or 709 by Count Wulfoalde and his wif ...

in northeastern France; her father was a bandmaster and her mother a piano teacher. She entered the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

at the age of nine, where she studied with

Marguerite Long Marguerite Marie-Charlotte Long (13 November 1874 – 13 February 1966) was a French pianist, pedagogue, lecturer, and an ambassador of French music. Life Early life: 1874–1900 Marguerite Long was born to Pierre Long and Anne Marie Antoin ...

Georges Caussade Georges Paul Alphonse Emilien Caussade (20 November 1873 – 5 August 1936) was a French composer, music theorist, and music educator. Biography Born in Port Louis, Mauritius, he joined the faculty of the Conservatoire de Paris in 1905 as a teac ...

Alfred Cortot Alfred Denis Cortot (; 26 September 187715 June 1962) was a French pianist, conductor, and teacher who was one of the most renowned classical musicians of the 20th century. A pianist of massive repertory, he was especially valued for his poeti ...

and

Charles-Marie Widor Charles-Marie-Jean-Albert Widor (21 February 1844 – 12 March 1937) was a French organist, composer and teacher of the mid-Romantic era, most notable for his ten organ symphonies. His Toccata from the fifth organ symphony has become one of the ...

. With Geneviève Durony, Leleu gave the premiere performance of

Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...

's '' Ma mère l'oye'' in 1910. Ravel had composed his ''Prelude'' for a Paris Conservatoire sight-reading competition in 1913 and Leleu won the prize. Her cantata ''Beatrix'' won the

Prix de Rome The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...

in 1923. (She was only the third women to win this premier Grand Prize after

Lili Boulanger Marie Juliette "Lili" Boulanger (; 21 August 189315 March 1918) was a French composer and the first female winner of the Prix de Rome composition prize. Her older sister was the noted composer and composition teacher Nadia Boulanger. Biography ...

and Marguerite Canal.) She went on to win two other prizes: Georges Bizet and Monbinne. In 1924 she took a position in the

Villa Medici The Villa Medici () is a Mannerist villa and an architectural complex with a garden contiguous with the larger Borghese gardens, on the Pincian Hill next to Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. The Villa Medici, founded by Ferdinando I de' Medici, ...

s in Rome, staying there for three years before returning to Paris. After completing her studies, Leleu took a position as professor of sight reading at the Conservatoire and, in 1947, she was named professor of harmony. She died in Paris at 80 years of age.

Works

Leleu was known for symphonic and piano works and ballets. Her printed compositions were published in Paris. Selected works include: *''Quatuor pour piano et cordes'' (1922) *''

Beatrix Beatrix is a Latin feminine given name, most likely derived from ''Viatrix'', a feminine form of the Late Latin name ''Viator'' which meant "voyager, traveller" and later influenced in spelling by association with the Latin word ''beatus'' or "bles ...

'', cantata (1923) (Winner of the Grand Prize of Rome) *''Esquisses italiennes'' (1926) *Suite symphonique (1926) *''Deux danses,'' (1927) *''Le Cyclope d'Euridipe'' (1928) *''Transparences'', symphony (1931) *Concerto pour piano (1935) *''Un jour d'été'', ballet (1940) *''Nantéos'', ballet (1947) *''Femmes,'' suite (1947) *''Virevoltes,'' suite (1950)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leleu, Jeanne 1898 births 1979 deaths 20th-century classical composers 20th-century French composers 20th-century women composers 20th-century French women musicians French composers French classical composers French women classical composers French music educators People from Saint-Mihiel Prix de Rome for composition Women music educators