Clémence de Grandval (1828 - 1907) France
- andreachamizoalber
- Aug 31, 2025
- 2 min read
Born Marie Félicie Clémence de Reiset, also known as Vicomtesse de Grandval and Marie Grandval, she was a French composer of the Romantic period who was recognized during her lifetime, though less remembered later. Many of her works are signed with pseudonyms.
I share her Two Pieces for Clarinet and Piano, with the respective link to view the score.
From a young age, she took composition classes with Friedrich Flotow, a composer and family friend, and later studied with Frédéric Chopin. Since her family was wealthy, she was able to work as a composer without worrying about financial matters (THE DREAM!). She married Vicomte de Grandval and they had two daughters, Isabelle and Thérèse. She studied for two years with Camille Saint-Saëns (he dedicated his Oratorio de Noël to her), and continued working as a composer after her marriage. However, her social situation led her to publish several of her works under (FEMALE?!?!) pseudonyms such as Caroline Blangy, Clémence Valgrand, Maria Felicita de Reiset, and Maria Reiset de Tesier.
I'm sharing her Valse mélancolique, for flute and harp. The link to the score is below.
Grandval received the inaugural Prix Rossini in 1881. Her early works were sacred, performed in churches, but she later wrote operas, folk songs, and instrumental music, including many works for oboe. Unfortunately, her orchestral works have been lost.
I'm sharing the first movement of her Oboe Concerto Op. 7. The score I found is a piano reduction; if anyone has the original orchestral score, please let me know!
During the 1870s, Grandval played an important role in the Société National de Musique, being its most frequently performed composer. During the second half of the 19th century, she was a very popular composer, admired by many critics. She died in Paris in 1907.
I share Lamento & Scherzo, for oboe and piano.
Her suite for flute and piano
And two works for clarinet and piano
There's a lot of music at IMSLP! I was particularly struck by the fact that it includes four works for English horn:
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