Eugène Léon Vivier Explained

Eugène Léon Vivier (1821–1900)[1] was a French horn player, admired by Napoleon III.

Life

He was born in 1821 in Ajaccio, Corsica; his father was a tax collector. He moved to Paris, where he became a member of the orchestra of the Théâtre-Italien.[2] [3]

He studied under Jacques-François Gallay. He became a successful soloist, and played for Louis Philippe I at the Château d'Eu. On his recommendation, Vivier visited London in 1848, where he appeared at the Wednesday Concerts at Exeter Hall. From 1870 he was a favourite of Napoleon III, who gave him sinecures, including an inspectorship of mines.[2] [3] [4]

With a secret device, he was able to play up to four notes at once on the horn.[1] [2] He was known for playing practical jokes: an obituarist wrote that "in their day they were the talk of Europe".[3] He published in 1900 an autobiography, said to be largely fictitious, La Vie e les Aventures d'un Corniste.[5]

Vivier died in Nice in 1900.[1]

Notes and References

  1. [Percy A. Scholes]
  2. http://grandemusica.net/musical-biographies-v/vivier-eugene-leon "Vivier, Eugene Leon"
  3. https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/cgi-bin/colorado?a=d&d=DJT19000501.2.14&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN--------0- "Vivier, the Horn Player: Practical joking which was in vogue under Napoleon III"
  4. Alexis. Chitty. Wednesday Concerts.
  5. https://books.google.com/books?id=K3V2vCxvYNkC&pg=PA241 "Vivier, Eugène-Léon"