Paris districts 1-4

The Louvre, originally a stronghold, was extended and became the new Royal palace. In the Salle des Petit-Bourbon were performances of ‘Ballet de Cour’ since  Circé, le Ballet comique de la Royne (1581).

West of the garden was the Tuileries palace.  The Salle des Suisses was the first public concert hall of Paris with performances of the Concert Spirituel, established by Philidor in 1725, and recitals by Leclair and Boccherini. Mozart’s ‘Paris’ symphony sounded here for the first time (1778). The larger Salle des Machines became a temporary opera theatre. The palace was destroyed in 1871 during the Commune riots.

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Delalande and Marais were choristers in the 1660s. Rameau married in this church. Alexandre Boëly was organist in the 1840s; after having introduced works by Bach, he arose resentment and was fired in 1851. The organ by Clicquot (1757) was moved from the Sainte Chapelle to this church in 1791 and underwent some alterations. At present: III/p/33 (of which 21 are from before the removal).

The Debussy family lived here from 1868 to 1875. From 1872, Claude studied at the Conservatoire.

Last house of Chopin, accessible to the public; he died here in 1849.

House of the chansonnier Henri Salvador (1962-2008); plaque from 2011.

Last house of the opera and ballet composer Léo Delibes (1836-1891).

Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga, a gifted composer of several vocal and instrumental works, studied and lived in Paris from 1821 and died here in 1826, hardly 20 years old. His fame rests on his three fine string quartets.

The composer André Destouches (1672-1749) worked here and was buried in the crypt of the  Chapelle de la Vierge. He lived at 4 rue Saint-Roch (rebuilt).

The organ was made by Leselop (1751), with additions by Clicquot and Cavaillé-Coll. IV/p/60. The organ recitals by Balbastre had to be stopped by order of the ecclesiastical authorities.

The opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer lived in the former Hôtel des Princes (rebuilt); Wagner stayed here in 1853.

This house belonged to a large complex of buildings which were a property of Jean-Baptiste Lully. The other houses were all rebuilt in the 19^th century, including the composer’s own Hôtel Lully at 45 rue des Petites-Champs. Couperin and Rameau also lived around this street, at least temporarily, but nothing remains of their houses.

Built in 1633 for prime minister Richelieu, it housed temporarily the young Louis XIV – hence ‘Palais Royal’. It was also the opera centre of Paris for 140 years. The first theatre opened in 1641 and burnt down in 1763; Lully and later Rameau dominated the repertoire. A second theatre opened in 1670 with Rameau’s Zoroastre, followed by works by Paisiello and Gluck, but burnt down already in 1781. A third theatre at the other side of the building (entry 38 rue de Monpensier) was opened in 1784 and still exists; lighter musical theatre, vaudeville).

The writer Colette (1873-1954) lived on the Palais Royal premises from 1938 until her death. She is the librettist of Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges.

The great writer, poet, artist, film maker and critic Jean Cocteau (1889-1963)  lived here from 1939 until his death. He played an important role in the musical history as promoter of Satie and co-operator of Stravinsky and the Groupe des Six. 

The plaque also remembers the writer Emmanuel Berl and his wife, the chansonnière and composer Mireille Hartuch (1906-96), who lived here after Cocteau.

Ralph Vaughan-Williams stayed here during the winter of 1907-08, following lessons by Ravel. After returning home, he continued asking advice by mail.

House and workshop of one of the best violin and bow makers of his era, Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875). He was also successful in trading exquisite violins by others, which he tracked down  from their hiding places.

In the magnificent Galérie dorée (1710s), François Couperin provided harpsichord lessons to the count of Toulouse. The hall is used for film takes and CD recordings.  Since 1811 belonging to the headquarters of the Banque de France.  -  In the same street, Lully, Francoeur and Rameau have lived.

Birthplace of the composer Ferdinand Hérold (1791-1833). His operas Zampa and Le pré aux clercs are still performed.

Birthplace of Paul Dukas (1865-1935), the composer of a small number of works of which the ballet La péri and above all the symphonic poem L’apprenti sorcier [the sorcerers pupil] are well-known.

The church of St. Eustache is full of musical memorabilia. The funeral service of Rameau took place here in 1764 and he was buried in the chapel of St. Cecile. In the same chapel a (latin) plaque of Mozart’s mother, in memory of her funeral in 1778; she died staying in Paris with her son. And finally a bust of Liszt, whose Graner Messe was performed in 1866 in this church. Also the Te Deum by Berlioz was for the first time performed here by thousand singers and musicians (1855).

Birthplace (rebuilt) of Eugène Scribe (1791-1861), the famous librettist of operas by Boieldieu, Auber, Meyerbeer and Donizetti.

Plaque mentioning the former Comédie Italienne (from 1547) and Opéra Comique (1716-82) in the Hôtel de Bourgogne on this spot

Nearby was the Cimetière des Innocents, an important cemetery until the end of the 18th c. The mother of Mozart and several composers had been buried there. After 1785, the mortal remains were moved to the Catacombs at Montparnasse (>1431) and became anonymous skeletons.

The composers Verdi and Boito met in March 1862 in this hotel; it was the starting point of their productive cooperation on the librettos of Verdi’s later operas.

The Théâtre du Châtelet is from 1862. It was the venue of the Concerts Colonne; Tchaikovsky (1888 and ’91), Grieg (1903) and Mahler (1909 and ‘10) conducted here and Dyaghilev’s Ballets Russes appeared  in the 1910s with various productions, including Pétrouchka and Daphnis et Chloë. From 1928, also operetta and musical came on the program. Since 1980 it is called Théâtre musical de Paris.

Across the square is a nearly similar theatre by the same architect, Gabriel Davioud, which also opened in 1862. It had different names: Théâtre Lyrique and Opéra National until 1900, when operas by Bizet, Gounod and Massenet were performed. In the 20^th century it was known as Théâtre Sarah Bernard and today as Théâtre de la Ville. The Ballets Russes appeared in the 1920s; the present repertoire includes ballet and concerts.

House of the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů from 1929 to 1932. In 1931 he married Charlotte Quennehen.

Former workshop of Érard piano and harp makers. Many visits by Liszt from 1823 to ‘78 (plaque). The opera composer Gasparo Spontini stayed here frequently, being married with Sébastien Érard’s daughter Célestine.

In the Salle Érard (at the rear, entry 11 rue Paul-Lelong) recitals were given by Liszt, Skryabin (1896, 1900) and Ricardo Viñes (premières of piano cycles by Debussy and Ravel). Present function not known.

Grave of Jean-Baptiste Lully, †1687, in the left aisle (above the arches). Organ front from 1739

Former Salle de la Bourse (1827), at first for opéra comique, then for Vaudeville; in 1927 it became a movie theatre. Verdi saw here the play La Dame aux camélias by Dumas, that became the subject of his La Traviata. The present Brasserie exudes the atmosphere of Vaudeville.

This theatre was built in 1807; Offenbach presented various productions during the 1860s. It is still in function.

House (rebuilt) of Modeste Grétry, the composer of early operas comiques. He lived here from 1785 until his death in 1813.

The present Salle Favart was opened in 1898. It had two predecessors on this location, resp. built in 1783 and 1840 and burnt down in 1838 and 1887. The first theatre, the venue of Opéra comique and Théâtre Italien, presented Grétry, Bellini and Rossini. The second presented numerous premières of French operas, of which Carmen (1875) is best known. Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande got its first performance in 1902 in the present building.

Former Hôtel Favart, at which the great guitar composer Fernando Sor lived from 1828 to 1832 with his friend Aguedo. Sor’s last house at Marché St. Honoré, where he died in 1839, was demolished.

Plaque of the demolished Théâtre Louvois and Opéra de la rue Richelieu, in function between 1791-1821. At 5 rue Louvois, Alphonse Adam and Donizetti lived around 1840 (demolished).

Music department of the National Library (Site Richelieu-Louvois). An enormous collection of manuscripts and prints from c 1500 until today.

This building of the National Library (Site Richelieu) houses musical manuscripts before c 1500, including Notre-Dame school and Ars Nova compositions.

Unfortunately demolished is the house of the nobleman La Roche de la Pouplinière, where important composers lived and worked: Rameau  from 1733 until 1754, Johann Stamitz until 1756 and François-Joseph Gossec until the death of the patron in 1760; from 1751 to 1756 Gossec had already played in the orchestra under Rameau and Stamitz. Especially for Rameau, this engagement was crucial for his career as a successful opera composer.

Former Théâtre Ventadour since 1828, from 1841 Théâtre Italien, in 1878 sold to the Banque de France. Partly rebuilt.

Plaque in honour of Offenbach, who established the Bouffes Parisiennes in 1855 in a building from 1818 at 73 Passage Choiseul (demolished).

In the department 'Acoustique' of this museum are some peculiar instruments from the 19th century, including a miniature piano by Pleyel (all parts at 50%), a harmonium by Cavaillé-Coll and a harpsichord with an added pedal with felt hammers.

Former Théâtre de la gaîeté lyrique from 1863, where Offenbach worked in the 1870s and the Ballets Russes appeared from 1918. Stravinsky’s Les Noces had its first performance here in 1923. Since 2010 it is a centre of digital arts. The foyer historique has been kept in original state.

Last house of the composer Jean Françaix (1912-1997), whose international popularity is mainly based on a number of sparkling chamber works, being only one aspect of his many-sided oeuvre. He lived here from 1978. The photo is by his son Jacques; the lady on the balcony is the widow of the composer.

Erik Satie lived here with his family from 1881 to ’83; his father ran a publishing house of salon music, which he continued until 1894 at 66 Boulevard Magenta.

In the crypt is the grave of the Franciscan monk Marin Mersenne, †1648. His Harmonie universelle (1636/7) is a treatise which compasses the whole field of musical theory in 1500 pages; a part is dedicated to instruments.

Venue of the Concert des Amateurs, founded in 1769 and conducted by Gossec. From 1780 it was called Concert de la Loge Olympique, which commissioned the ‘Parisian’ symphonies by Haydn (nrs 82-87).

Former Hôtel de Guise. The palace was demolished, only the gate has been preserved – and the plaque of Marc-Antoine Charpentier, who lived here from 1670 until 1687. The Litanies de la Vièrge were written for Marie de Guise.

Birthplace of piano virtuoso and composer Charles-Henri-Valentin Morhange (1813-1888), who choose his father’s first name Alkan as his second name. A child prodigy, he entered the Conservatoire at the age of six.

Former church of St. Jean et St. François, now the Armenian cathedral.  There are two organs by Cavaillé-Coll, from 1844 (II/p/19) and 1850 (II/pd-p/8), which were played by Franck (1853-58) and Delibes (1862-71).

Birthplace of the composer Mélanie ─ or ‘Mel’ ─ Bonis (1858-1937); she lived here until 1860. It is worthwhile to browse for the fascinating biography of this gifted lady.

The building of the cathedral started in 1163 and the first services took place in 1183. Just from the same years originates what is now called the ‘Notre Dame school’: the organum compositions by the rather shadowy music masters Léonin and Pérotin were crucial for the development of polyphony.

Campra, Daquin and Balbastre worked here in the baroque era. Jean-François Lesueur became the music master in 1787 but left after a year, because the use of other instruments than the organ was forbidden; he got his way in 1804, when he added luster to the coronation of Napoleon with 400 singers and musicians.

Cavaillé-Coll rebuilt the organ  in 1867; in 1869 Anton Bruckner improvised, ardently admired by Franck and colleagues. Louis Vierne was organist from 1900 until his death at the console in 1937. The organ was damaged but not destroyed in the great fire of 2019.

The Salle des Pas-Perdus or Grand’Salle was the venue for secular court music before 1600. The hall is a part of the Palais de Justice now but has lost its luxurious appearance.

 The Sainte Chapelle was the church of the Royal court. Ockeghem, Mouton, Sermisy and Certon were music masters in the 15th and 16th century, Charpentier worked here from 1698 until his death in 1704, Dandrieu and Daquin were organists in the 18^th century.

Olivier Messiaen lived here between 1919 and 1932; within this period he was appointed organist at the Trinité and married Claire Delbos.

Behind the organ case from 1647 is a later instrument by Clicquot, Cavaillé-Coll and others; IV/p/64.  Lebègue and Dandrieu were the organists in the baroque era, Saint-Saëns in the 1850s.

The Institut de Recherche et de Coordination Acoustique-Musique (‘IRCAM’) and the Ensemble Intercontemporain  were established by Pierre Boulez in 1975-76 and moved to this location in 1977. It has the disposal of an electronic studio and concert hall for avant-garde and electronic music and multimedia experiments, espace de projection.

Nearby, on a square at the rue Bisemiche, is a fountain in honor of Igor Stravinsky; the city cherishes its strong ties with the great composer.

Plaque of Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, who wrote his revolutionary play Le marriage de Figaro here in 1778, the base of Mozart’s opera Le Nozze di Figaro from 1786. His earlier play Le barbier de Séville inspired Benda, Paisiello, Isouard and Rossini to write an opera. A monument of his is at the end of the rue St.-Antoine, near place de la Bastille.

In this former Jesuit church, Delalande, Marchand, Charpentier and Daquin all worked as organists. The present organ is from the 19th century.

The composer Louis-Nicolas Clérembault was born in this street in 1676.

The Mozart family stayed during the winter of 1763/64 in this beautiful palace, the the embassy of Bavaria.

The Couperin dynasty played the organ of this church for 173 years (1653 until 1826)! Behind the organ case from 1628, alterations were made by Thierry, Clicquot and others. Present disposition: IV/p/41. Nicolas Couperin was buried beneath the organ.  At the end of the 19^th century, Charles Bordes conducted the Chanteurs de Saint-Gervais; their appearances  during the Holy Week with ancient music were renowned.

Left of the church is the house (partially rebuilt) of Nicolas, Armand-Louis, Antoinette-Victoire and Gervais-François Couperin; the most famous Couperins, Louis and François-le- Grand, lived elsewhere and their houses were demolished.  Other traces of the Couperins are in Chaumes-en-Brie (77); > fr2.

Last house of the great composer Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013). The unveiling of the plaque in 2015 arose some commotion: hadn’t he made a score for a propaganda movie of the Vichy regime? On inspection it appeared that he was an impeccable patriot; only, in 1941 his family threatened to starve.