Guenin, Marie-Alexandre
Guenin, Marie-Alexandre
Guenin, Marie-Alexandre, French violinist, pedagogue, and composer; b. Maubeuge, Feb. 20, 1744;d. Étampes, Jan. 22, 1835. He began to study the violin at age 6, and about 1760 his father sent him to Paris to study with Capron and Gaviniès (violin) and Gossec (composition). He pursued his career in Paris, serving as first violinist in the orchs. Of the Opéra (1771-1801) and the Concert Spirituel (1771-83). In 1773 he made his debut as a soloist at the Concert Spirituel, and in 1777 he was made its asst. director. He also became music director to the Prince of Condé in 1777 and a violinist in the Musique du Chambre du Roy in 1778. In 1784 he joined the faculty of the École Roy ale de Chant et de Declamation as a violin instructor. After it became the Cons, in 1795, he continued to teach there until 1802. About 1808 he went to Spain, where he was active in the service of Charles IV. After a sojourn in Marseilles, he was 2nd violin in the Musique du Roi (1814-16). He composed syms., trios, duos, sonatas, and other works which followed the models of Gossec and the Mannheim school
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire