Name given to a competition that awarded artists and composers with a funded period of study in Rome. Although awards with a similar name have been offered by Belgian, American and other academies, in music the term usually refers to the prize offered by the French Académie des Beaux-Arts.
The contest was held annually from 1803 to 1968, suspended only during the two world wars. It was organized and judged by the music section of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, although during the Second Empire (1864–71) it was administered by the Paris Conservatoire. While prizes in painting, sculpture and architecture had been offered throughout the 18th century, a music prize was authorized only when the Institut National and its constituent academies were reorganized by Napoleon in 1803. The prizes were funded by the French government with the aim of fostering French culture. The Prix de Rome in music endured the revolutions, monarchies, empires and republics of the 19th and 20th centuries, but not the student uprisings of the 1960s, after which it was abolished.
The contest was designed to test the competitor's knowledge of music as an art and a science. In a preliminary round, the Concours d'Essai, contenders were assigned exercises in counterpoint, fugue and harmony: the science of music. Contestants who passed this were admitted to the Concours Définitif to test their understanding of music as an art. They were sequestered for four or five weeks to compose an operatic scene (usually called ‘cantate’ or ‘scène lyrique’) for one or more voices and orchestra on a text chosen by the music section, whose members, usually composers and theorists from the Conservatoire, then made a preliminary judgment. The judgment for the Grand Prix was made at a meeting of the entire Académie des Beaux-Arts where all members had a vote. In some years no Grand Prix was awarded, while in others there were joint winners. Autograph scores of the winning works, originally located in the Paris Conservatoire, are now held in the Paris Bibliothèque Nationale.
Artists who attained the prize were awarded a moderate income over several years, support for the exhibition, performance or publication of their work, opportunities to travel, military deferments and free admission to cultural venues in Paris. They were required to spend the first two years at the Villa Medici in Rome studying classical and Italian art and producing works based on these models. Subsequent years were spent in Germany or France.
While the official regulations changed in minor details over the years, the procedures for judgment remained stable. However, specific rules could be changed or suspended by members of the Académie, and tradition, bureaucracy and professorial nepotism often played a large role in the awarding of the prize. Since the academicians elected each other and held their chairs for life, an older generation was always deciding the fate of a younger one. Complaints voiced by generations of composers, journalists, politicians and the academicians themselves were consistent throughout the life of the competition, and loudest at times of artistic change, notably from Berlioz, who competed four times before winning, and Ravel, who competed five times but never won. There was perhaps some justification for sending painters, sculptors and architects off to Italy, but composers had little reason to want to leave Paris. The ability to construct a correct fugue and to obey mechanically the rules of counterpoint and harmony are not sure signs of a creative musical talent. The final round was a test of reasonable length on which to judge a contestant's ability to write opera, but the assigned text and the form it imposed tended to inhibit creativity.
The competition was a rite of passage for generations of French composers, providing some with official standing, public recognition and, most importantly, monetary support early in their careers. The list of laureates below may prompt a variety of conclusions. The paucity of familiar names may demonstrate the failure of the competition to foster French music, but which names might have appeared if the competition had been more successful in meeting these aims is a question that cannot be answered.
winners of Grand Prix unless otherwise stated
literary subject shown in italics; genre, where specified, and author of text shown in brackets
|
1803 |
A.-A. Androt; Alcyone (scène dramatique, Arnault) |
|
1804 |
[no Grand Prix] Seconds Prix: V.-C.-P. Dourlen and F. Gasse; Cupidon pleurant Psyché (cant., Arnault) |
|
1805 |
V.-C.-P. Dourlen and F. Gasse; Cupidon pleurant Psyché (cant., Arnault) |
|
1806 |
G. Bouteiller; Héro (cant., J.-M.-B.-B. de Saint-Victor) |
|
1807 |
[no Grand Prix] Seconds Prix: J. Daussoigne and F.-J. Fétis; Ariane (cant., J.-M.-B.-B. de Saint-Victor) |
|
1808 |
P.-A.-L. Blondeau; Marie Stuart (monologue lyrique, E. de Jouy) |
|
1809 |
J. Daussoigne; Agar dans le désert (scène lyrique, E. de Jouy) |
|
1810 |
D. Beaulieu; Héro (cant., J.-M.-B.-B. de Saint-Victor) |
|
1811 |
H.-A.-B. Chelard; Ariane (cant., J.-M.-B.-B. de Saint-Victor) |
|
1812 |
F. Cazot and F. Herold; La duchesse de la Vallière (cant., d'Avrigny) |
|
1813 |
A. Panseron; Herminie (scène lyrique, P.-A. Vieillard) |
|
1814 |
P.-G. Roll; Atala (cant., P.-A. Vieillard) |
|
1815 |
F. Benoist; Oenone (cant., P.-A. Vieillard) |
|
1816 |
[no Grand Prix] Seconds Prix: D.-A. Batton and F. Halévy; Les derniers moments du Tasse (cant., E. de Jouy) |
|
1817 |
D.-A. Batton; La mort d'Adonis (cant., J.-A. Vinaty) |
|
1818 |
[no Grand Prix] Seconds Prix: A. Leborne; Jeanne d’Arc (cant., J.-A. Vinaty) |
|
1819 |
F. Halévy and P.-J.-P.-C. Massin-Turina; Herminie (cant., J.-A. Vinaty) |
|
1820 |
A. Leborne; Sophonisbe (cant., P.-A. Vieillard) |
|
1821 |
L.-V.-E. Rifaut; Diane (cant., J.-A. Vinaty) |
|
1822 |
J.-A. Lebourgeois; Geneviève de Brabant (scène lyrique, J.-A. Vinaty) |
|
1823 |
E. Boilly and L.-C. Ermel; Thisbé (cant., J.-A. Vinaty) |
|
1824 |
A.-M.-B. Barbereau; Agnès Sorel (scène lyrique, P.-A. Vieillard) |
|
1825 |
A. Guillion; Ariane à Naxos (scène lyrique, J.-A. Vinaty) |
|
1826 |
C.-J. Paris; Herminie (cant., J.-A. Vinaty) |
|
1827 |
J.-B.-L. Guiraud; Orphée (cant., Berton) |
|
1828 |
G. Ross-Despréaux; Herminie (cant., P.-A. Vieillard) |
|
1829 |
[no Grand Prix] Second Prix: E.-P. Prévost; Cléopâtre (cant., P.-A. Vieillard) |
|
1830 |
H. Berlioz and A. Montfort; Sardanapale (cant., J.F. Gail) |
|
1831 |
E.-P. Prévost; Bianca Capello (cant., Pastoret) |
|
1832 |
A. Thomas; Hermann et Ketty (scène lyrique, Pastoret) |
|
1833 |
A. Thys; Le contrebandier espagnol (scène lyrique, Pastoret) |
|
1834 |
A. Elwart; L'entrée en loge (J.F. Gail) |
|
1835 |
E.-H.-A. Boulanger; Achille (scène lyrique, Paulin) |
|
1836 |
X. Boisselot; Velléda (scène lyrique, Bignon) |
|
1837 |
L.-D. Besozzi; Marie Stuart et Rizzio (scène lyrique, Halévy) |
|
1838 |
A.-G.-J. Bousquet; La vendetta (cant., Pastoret) |
|
1839 |
C. Gounod; Fernand (scène lyrique, Pastoret) |
|
1840 |
F.E.V. Bazin; Loÿse de Montfort (cant., E. Deschamps and E. Pacini) |
|
1841 |
L. Maillard; Lionel Foscari (cant., Pastoret) |
|
1842 |
A.-A. Roger; La Reine Flore (ballade, Pastoret) |
|
1843 |
[no Grand Prix] Second Grand Prix: H.-L.-C. Duvernoy; Le chevalier enchanté (cant., Pastoret) |
|
1844 |
V. Massé; Le rénégat de Tanger (cant., Pastoret) |
|
1845 |
[no Grand Prix] Second Grand Prix: E. Ortolan; Imagine (cant., P.-A. Vieillard) |
|
1846 |
L.-G.-C. Gastinel; Vélasquez (cant., Doucet) |
|
1847 |
P.-L. Deffès; L'ange et Tobie (cant., L. Halévy) |
|
1848 |
J.-L.-A. Duprato; Damoclès (cant., Lacrois) |
|
1849 |
[no Grand Prix] Second Grand Prix: E. Cahen; Antonio (cant., Doucet) |
|
1850 |
J.-A. Charlot; Emma et Eginhard (cant., Bignan) |
|
1851 |
J.-C.-A. Delehelle; Le prisonnier (cant., E. Monnais) |
|
1852 |
L. Cohen; Le retour de Virginie (cant., Rollet) |
|
1853 |
P.-C.-C. Galibert; Le rocher d'Appenzel (cant., E. Monnais) |
|
1854 |
G.-N. Barthe; Francesca de Rimini (cant., Bonnaure) |
|
1855 |
J. Conte; Acis et Galathée (cant., Locle) |
|
1856 |
[no Grand Prix] Seconds Grands Prix: G. Bizet and E. Lachemié; David (cant., G. d'Albano) |
|
1857 |
G. Bizet; Clovis et Clotilde (cant., A. Burion) |
|
1858 |
S. David; Jephté (cant., E. Cécile) |
|
1859 |
E. Guiraud; Bajazet et le joueur de flûte (cant., E. Monnais) |
|
1860 |
E. Paladilhe; Le Czar Ivan IV (cant., Anne) |
|
1861 |
T. Dubois; Atala (cant., V. Roussy) |
|
1862 |
L. Bourgault-Ducoudray; Louise de Mézières (cant., E. Monnais) |
|
1863 |
J. Massenet; David Rizzio (G. Chouquet) |
|
1864 |
C.-V. Sieg; Ivanhoe (V. Roussy) |
|
1865 |
C. Lenepveu; Renaud dans les jardins d'Armide (Locle) |
|
1866 |
E. Pessard; Dalila (cant., E. Vierne) |
|
1867 |
[no prize awarded] Le dernier des Abencérage (Cécile) |
|
1868 |
V.-A. Pelletier-Rabuteau and E. Wintzweiller; Daniel (Cécile) |
|
1869 |
A.-B. Taudou; Françoise de Rimini (Chazad) |
|
1870 |
C.-E. Lefebvre and H. Maréchal; Le jugement de Dieu (H. Dutheil) |
|
1871 |
G. Serpette; Jeanne d'Arc (J. Barbier) |
|
1872 |
G. Salvayre; Calypso (V. Roussy) |
|
1873 |
P.-C.-M. Puget; Mazeppa (cant., de Lauzières) |
|
1874 |
L. Erhart; Acis et Galathée (cant., E. Adénis) |
|
1875 |
A.-A.-T. Wormser; Clytemnestre (cant., Ballu) |
|
1876 |
P.J.G. Hillemacher; Judith (scène lyrique, P. Alexandre) |
|
1877 |
[no Grand Prix] Second Grand Prix: C. Blanc; Rebecca à la fontaine (cant., G. Barbier) |
|
1878 |
C.-J. Broutin; La fille de Jephté (cant., E. Guinand) |
|
1879 |
Hüe; Médée (cant., Grimault) |
|
1880 |
L.J.E. Hillemacher, Fingal (scène lyrique, Darcourt) |
|
1881 |
[no Grand Prix] Second Grand Prix: A. Bruneau; Geneviève (cant., E. Guinand) |
|
1882 |
E.-G. Marty; Edith (cant., E. Guinand) |
|
1883 |
P.-A. Vidal; Le gladiateur (cant., E. Moreau) |
|
1884 |
C. Debussy; L'enfant prodigue (cant., E. Guinand) |
|
1885 |
X. Leroux; Endymion (cant., A. de Lassus) |
|
1886 |
M.-E.-A. Savard; La vision de Saül (cant., E. Adénis) |
|
1887 |
G. Charpentier; Didon (cant., A. de Lassus) |
|
1888 |
C. Erlanger; Velléda (cant., F. Beissier) |
|
1889 |
[no Grand Prix] Second Prix: E.-E.-A. Fournier; Sémélé (cant., E. Adénis) |
|
1890 |
G. Carraud; Cléopâtre (cant., F. Beissier) |
|
1891 |
C. Silver; L'interdit (cant., Noël) |
|
1892 |
[no Grand Prix] Second Grand Prix: H. Büsser; Amadis (cant., E. Adénis) |
|
1893 |
A. Bloch; Antigone (cant., F. Beissier) |
|
1894 |
H. Rabaud; Daphné (cant., Raffalli) |
|
1895 |
O. Letorey; Clarisse Harlowe (cant., Noël) |
|
1896 |
J.-.E.-G. Mouquet; Mélusine (cant., F. Beissier) |
|
1897 |
M. d'Ollone; Frédégonde (cant., Morel) |
|
1898 |
[no Grand Prix] Second Grand Prix: E.-P.-H. Malherbe; Radegonde (cant., Collin) |
|
1899 |
C.-G. Levadé; Callirhoé (cant., E. and E. Adénis) |
|
1900 |
F. Schmitt; Sémiramis (cant., E. and E. Adénis) |
|
1901 |
A. Caplet; Myrrha (cant., F. Beissier) |
|
1902 |
A.-M.-G.-J. Cunq; Alcyone (cant., E. and E. Adénis) |
|
1903 |
R. Laparra; Ulysse (cant., Coiffier) |
|
1904 |
R.-J. Pech; Médora (cant., F. Beissier) |
|
1905 |
V.-L. Gallois; Maïa (scène lyrique, F. Beissier) |
|
1906 |
L.-C. Dumas; Ismaïl (cant., E. Adénis) |
|
1907 |
M.-G.-E. Le Boucher; Selma (cant., Spitzmuller) |
|
1908 |
A. Gailhard; La sirène (cant., E. Adénis) |
|
1909 |
J.-M. Mazellier; La Rousalka (cant., E. Adénis) |
|
1910 |
N. Gallon; Acis et Galathée (cant., Roussel and Coupel) |
|
1911 |
P. Paray; Yanitza (cant., Spitzmuller) |
|
1912 |
[no Grand Prix] Second Grand Prix: E.-C.-O. Mignau; Fulvia (cant., Collin) |
|
1913 |
L. Boulanger; Faust et Hélène (épisode lyrique, E. Adénis) |
|
1914 |
M. Dupré; Psyché (cant., Roussel and Coupel) |
|
1915–18: |
[Prix de Rome suspended] |
|
1919 |
M. Delmas; Le poète et la fée (cant., Portron) |
|
1920 |
M. Canal; Don Juan (scène dramatique, E. Adénis) |
|
1921 |
J. de La Presle; Hermione (cant., E. Adénis) |
|
1922 |
[no Grand Prix] Second Grand Prix: F. Bousquet; Le prétendant (Gandrey-Réty) |
|
1923 |
J. Leleu; Béatrix (cant., Gandrey-Réty) |
|
1924 |
R. Dussaut; Les amants de Vérone (E. Adénis and Desveaux-Vérité) |
|
1925 |
L. Fourestier; La mort d'Adonis (cant., Belviane) |
|
1926 |
R. Guillou; L'autre mère (Forge) |
|
1927 |
E. Gaujac; Coriolan (cant., Téramond) |
|
1928 |
R. Loucheur; Héraklès à Delphes (Puoux) |
|
1929 |
E. Barraine; La vierge guerrière (cant., Foucher) |
|
1930 |
T. Aubin; Actéon (cant., P. Arosa) |
|
1931 |
J. Dupont; L'ensorceleuse (P. Arosa) |
|
1932 |
Y. Desportes; Le pardon (P. Arosa) |
|
1933 |
R. Planel; Idylle funambulesque (P. Arosa) |
|
1934 |
E. Bozza; La légende de Roukmāni (C. Orly) |
|
1935 |
R. Challan; Le château endormi (Simandre) |
|
1936 |
M. Stern; Gisèle (Maindroni) |
|
1937 |
V. Serventi; La Belle et la Bête (C. Orly) |
|
1938 |
H. Dutilleux; L'anneau du roi (scène lyrique, Vollène) |
|
1939 |
P. Maillard-Verger; La farce du mari fondu (P. Arosa) |
|
1940–41 |
[Prix de Rome suspended] |
|
1942 |
A. Désenclos; Pygmalion délivré (Brunel) |
|
1943 |
P. Sancan; Icare (Subverville) |
|
1944 |
R. Gallois-Montbrun; Louise de la miséricorde (Clerc) |
|
1945 |
M. Bitsch and C. Pascal; La farce du contrebandier (Téramond) |
|
1946 |
P. Petit; Le jeu de l'amour et du hasard (Clerc) |
|
1947 |
J.-M. Damase; Et la belle se réveilla (P. Arosa) |
|
1948 |
O. Garty [Gartenlaub]; Genovefa (Clerc) |
|
1949 |
A. Clostre; La résurrection de Lazare (Bourgoin) |
|
1950 |
E. Plicque; Bettina (Carol) |
|
1951 |
C. Chayne; Et l'homme se vit rouvrir les portes (Escalada) |
|
1952 |
A. Weber; La sotie de la dame qui fut muette (Escalada) |
|
1953 |
J. Castérède; La boîte de Pandore (Escalada) |
|
1954 |
R. Boutry; On ne badine pas avec l'amour (Escalada) |
|
1955 |
P.-M. Dubois; Le rire de Gargantua (Escalada) |
|
1956 |
J. Aubain; Le mariage forcé (Clerc) |
|
1957 |
A. Bernaud; La fée Urgèle (Varennes) |
|
1958 |
N. Lancien; Une mort de Don Quichotte (Lemoine) |
|
1959 |
A. Margoni; Les jardins d'Armide (Téramond) |
|
1960 |
G. Boizard; Cant du printemps (M. Lubicz) |
|
1961 |
C. Manen; La loreley (G. Apollinaire) |
|
1962 |
A. Petitgirard; Le grand yacht Despair (Masson) |
|
1963 |
Y. Cornière; Les hommes sur la terre (Desnos) |
|
1964 |
[no prizes awarded] |
|
1965 |
T. Brenet and L. Robert; Agamemnon (after Aeschylus) |
|
1966 |
M. Cecconi-Botella; La muse qui est la Grâce (Claudel) |
|
1967 |
M.-M. Rateau; Voyageur, où t'en vas-tu? (after R. Tagore) |
|
1968 |
A. Louvier; Folie et mort d'Ophélie (after W. Shakespeare) |
Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts: Réglemens relatifs aux Concours Ouverts et aux Grands Prix décernés par l'Académie (Paris, 1822)
‘Vermischte Nachrichten – Institut Royal de France – Académie des Beaux-arts’, AMZ, xxvii (1825), 57–64
C. Pierre: Le conservatoire national de musique et de déclamation (Paris, 1900)
P. Landormy and J. Loisel: ‘L'Institut de France et le Prix de Rome’, EMDC, II/vi (1931), 3479–95
E. Bozza: ‘The History of the “Prix de Rome”’, HMYB, vii (1952), 487–90
H. Colucci: ‘The Winners of the “Premier Prix de Rome” (music)’, HMYB, 490–4
L. Dalran: ‘Le sens d'un concours, ou les chemins qui mènent à Rome’, Journal musical français, no.163 (1967), 41–2
A. Vander Linden: ‘Considerations historiques sur le Prix de Rome de musique au XIXe siècle’, Bulletin de la Classe des Beaux-Arts de l'Académie Royale de Belgique, lx (1969), 229–51
DAVID GILBERT