Cecile Chaminade

Chaminade was born at Paris, August 8, 1861. She studied with Le Couppey, Savart, Marsick and Godard. Her first experiments in composition took place in very early days, and in her eighth year she played some of her sacred music to Bizet, the composer of Carmen, who was much impressed with her talents. She gave her first concert when she was eighteen, and from that time on her work as a composer has gained steadily in favor, until at the present time she enjoys a reputation as a composer which has never been equaled by any woman composer. She toured France several times in those earlier days, and in 1892 made her debut in England, where her work is extremely popular. In 1908 she visited the United States, and was accorded a very hearty welcome from her innumerable admirers in this country. Her compositions are tremendous favorites with the American public, and such pieces as the Scarf dance or the Ballet No. 1 are to be found in the music libraries of all cultured lovers of piano music. She has composed a concert stucke for piano and orchestra, the ballet music to Callirhoe and other orchestral works. Her songs, such as The Silver Ring and Ritournelle, are also great favorites. Ambroise Thomas, the celebrated French composer and writer, once said of Chaminade: "This is not a woman who composes, but a composer who is a woman."