Paul Collin (12 July 1843 – 5 February 1915) was a French poet, writer, translator and

librettist A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major litu ...

Life and career

Collin was born in

Conches-en-Ouche Conches-en-Ouche (, literally ''Conches in Ouche'') is a commune in the Eure ''département'' in northern France. Geography It is located by the Rouloir river, southwest of Évreux in the Normandy region. The town is located on a plateau known ...

. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, his family produced administrative officers in the military, mail and law service as well as physicians. He started a professional career as a lawyer before marrying one of the daughters of the French chemist Theodore Gobley. Poetry proved to be Collin's real vocation, and he went on to write

libretti A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major l ...

and song lyrics for a number of operas and

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir. The meaning of ...

s, collaborating with contemporary composers of the second half of the 19th century including

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

, who used several of his shorter poetry works for songs. Collin published a collection of his works in 1886. The first award of the Prix Rossini in 1881 was awarded to Paul Collin and the composer Marie, Countess of Grandval for the oratorio ''La Fille de Jaïre''. Collin also wrote as a music critic for the journal ''

Le Ménestrel ''Le Ménestrel'' (The Minstrel) was an influential French music journal published weekly from 1833 until 1940. It was founded by Joseph-Hippolyte l'Henry and originally printed by Poussièlgue. In 1840 it was acquired by the music publishers Heu ...

''.

Works

Selected works include: * ''Agar'', "poème lyrique" for soloists, mixed chorus and orchestra, music by

Georges Pfeiffer Georges Jean Pfeiffer (12 December 1835 – 14 February 1908) was a French composer, pianist, and music critic. He was a much sought-after chamber music partner in the second half of the nineteenth century in Paris. Life Pfeiffer was born in Ver ...

(1875) * ''Narcisse: Idylle antique pour solo et choeur'', opera, music by

Jules Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (; 12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are '' Manon'' (1884) and ''Werther' ...

(1878) * ''Ulysse a l'ile des Sirenes'', cantata, music by Jules Massenet (1879) * ''La Ronde des songes: scène fantastique'', music by Clémence de Grandval (1880) * ''Rébecca'', cantata, music by

César Franck César-Auguste Jean-Guillaume Hubert Franck (; 10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890) was a French Romantic composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher born in modern-day Belgium. He was born in Liège (which at the time of his birth was p ...

(1880–81) * ''La Fille de Jaïre'', oratorio, music by Clémence de Grandval (1881) * ''Eternité'', song, music by Clémence de Grandval (1883) * ''Déception'', No. 2 of the ''Six French Songs'', Op. 65, music by

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

(1888) * ''Sérénade'' ("J'aime dans le rayon"), No. 3 of the ''Six French Songs'', Op. 65, music by Tchaikovsky (1888) * ''Qu'importe que l'hiver'', No. 4 of the ''Six French Songs'', Op. 65, music by Tchaikovsky (1888) * ''Rondel'', No. 6 of the ''Six French Songs'', Op. 65, music by Tchaikovsky (1888) * ''Attala'', music by Juliette Folville (1890) * ''Zaire'', opera, music by

Charles Lefebvre Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...

(1890) * ''La Naissance de Vénus'', music by

Gabriel Fauré Gabriel Urbain Fauré (; 12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers ...

(1900) * ''Amica'', opera, music by

Pietro Mascagni Pietro Mascagni (7 December 1863 – 2 August 1945) was an Italian composer primarily known for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece ''Cavalleria rusticana'' caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the ' ...

(1905)

Published books

* ''Musique de chambre'', poems, ed. Hachette * ''Glas et carillons'', poems, ed. Hachette * ''Du grave au doux'', poems, ed. Hachette, 1878 * ''Les Heures Paisibles'', poems, ed. Hachette * ''Judith'', dramatic opera, music by Charles Lefebvre, ed. Mackar * ''Poèmes Musicaux'', ed. Tresse et Stock, 1886 * ''Poèmes sacrés et profanes''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collin, Paul 1843 births 1915 deaths French poets Romantic poets French opera librettists French critics People from Eure French male poets French male dramatists and playwrights French male non-fiction writers