Joseph Bologne

He is known as the “Black Mozart” — but to be honest, if you learn enough about him, you may even consider Mozart to be the “White Joseph Bologne.”

Chevalier de Saint-Georges, born Joseph Bologne, was widely considered to be one of the most accomplished men in Europe during his lifetime, with a laundry list of talents, ranging from genius violinist to Europe’s greatest swordsman.

Joseph was literally around for every major cultural event in France in the 1700s — he was in the center of the revolution and the fall of the monarchy, he may have been the inspiration for the book The Three Musketeers, he was friends with the Prince of Wales, tutored Marie Antoinette in piano, and may have aided in writing some of Mozart’s music.

Joseph Bologne was born around 1739 on a plantation in Basse Terre, Guadeloupe. His father, Georges de Bologne Saint-Georges, was owner of the plantation and a French Parliamentary councilor. His mother, Nanon, who came from Senegal, was said to be very beautiful. She was the maid of the wife of de Saint-Georges, Elisabeth Mérican. Saint-Georges acknowledged his son by Nanon and gave him his surname.

While Joseph Bologne was young, his family moved to Saint Domingue (now Haiti); it was there that he likely had his first violin lessons, under the direction of his father’s plantation manager. When he was 10, the family once again shifted its home, this time to Paris, France.

In Paris, Bologne’s life underwent an almost phenomenal change. He not only partook in a wide range of activities — including riding, dancing, swimming, skating, and fencing — he became a master swordsman, often being deemed the greatest in Europe during his prime.

Before he turned 20, Bologne took up studies of the violin under Leclair, and composition under Gossec. The years from 1758 to 1768 were filled with learning and mastering both musical creation and performance on his instrument of choice, the violin.

In 1769, Gossec appointed Bologne as first violinist of the Concerts des Amateurs, the young composer’s first professional post. But the real glory came later, in 1772, when he made his debut as soloist in performing his own Op. 2 violin concerti.

These violin concerti contain virtuosity that was extreme during this time, but the audience was most impressed with the feeling and expression Bologne put into his performances. His musical output during this time included assorted sonatas, string quartets, seven Sinfonie Concertanti, a ballet (L’amant Anonime), and two operas (Ernestine and La fille-garçon).

By 1773, Bologne was a well-respected musician, and took over Gossec’s post as director of the Concerts des Amateurs. His 1775 appointment as director of the Paris Opéra, unfortunately, was revoked after singers refused to work with him because of his race. However, he was largely responsible for the commissioning of Haydn’s famous Paris Symphonies.

When the Revolution broke out in 1789, Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint-George, now a noble, joined the newly formed Republic and assembled a new military force in northern France, the Légion St. Georges, the first all-black regiment in Europe. In 1791, he left music completely and became the captain of the National Guard in Lille. However, Bologne was wrongfully accused of misappropriation of funds intended for the troops, and he was stripped of his command and placed into prison. Upon his release, he left France for Saint Domingue after hearing of the slave rebellion.

He returned to Paris in 1797 to resume his musical career, directing a new musical organization, Le Cercle de l’Harmonie. Rejected by the army, Bologne, at the age of 51, found solace in his music. Sounding like any veteran performer proud of his longevity, he said: “Towards the end of my life, I was particularly devoted to my violin,” adding: “never before did I play it so well!” After two years, Saint-George died a pauper at age 53, having given up his wealth to the Revolution.

Bologne is noted as being able to use one excellent melodic line after another in a single work. His thematic ideas seemed endless and effortless, and sometimes he employs so many fine passages in a row that it almost seems wasteful. Apparently, however, he never had to concern himself with exhausting his wealth of musical creativity. He is remembered mainly for his quartets and violin concerti, but his operas were quite popular. His musical style was naturally suited to operatic and theatrical music, and it is believed that some other operatic works of his have been lost to time.

Searchlight pictures is producing a film, Chevalier, to be released in July 2023. Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint-George will be played by Kelvin Harrison Jr. Follow the movie at www.facebook.com/ChevalierMovie.