Alexis de Castillon

Alexis-Marie de Castillon de Saint-Victor (13 December 1838 – 5 March 1873) was a French composer.

Life and career Castillon was born in Chartres into an old aristocratic family from Languedoc. His parents initially intended him to pursue a military career, but Castillon gave up plans for professional soldiering in favour of music, which he learned first in his birthplace and then in Paris, where he studied piano and composition, initially with Charles Delioux. For composition, he attended the classes of Victor Massé and, from 1869, of César Franck at the Paris Conservatoire. Before his studies with Franck, he had completed his Opus 1, a piano quintet, probably inspired by the earlier example of his friend Camille Saint-Saëns. Both the quintet and the later piano quartet Op. 7 follow Schumann's model. He disavowed earlier efforts, including a symphony in F major, which he had written in 1865.

In fragile health at the best of times (volunteering during the War of 1870, he fell ill and was demobilized in 1871), he died of complications from fever in 1873 at age 34. His works include pieces for piano, chamber music, mélodies, a piano concerto, and other orchestral music. He was also active in Parisian musical life, in particular helping to create, in 1871, the Société Nationale de Musique, of which he was the first secretary.

List of compositions Piano solo Fugue in G minor Fugues dans le style libre, Op. 2 (1869) Suite No. 1, Op. 5 (1867?-69) I. Canon II. Scherzo III. Thème et Variations IV. Gavotte V. Marche 5 Pièces dans le style ancien, Op. 9 (1870) I. Prélude II. Sicilienne III. Sarabande IV. Air (D major) V. Fughette Suite No. 2, Op. 10 (1870) I. (Liberamente) (E major) II. (Non troppo vivo) (A major) III. (Con fantasia) (C minor) IV. (Comodo) (F major) V. (Energico) (B major) VI. (Vivo assai) (E major) 24 Pensées fugitives (1873) I. Aveu II. Minuetto III. Au bois IV. Carillon V. Compliment VI. Première Mazurka VII. Causerie VIII. Fanfare IX. Scherzo-Valse X. Regrets XI. Deuxième Mazurka XII. Toccata XIII. Marche des Français XIV. Au revoir XV. Feu follet XVI. Bayadère XVII. Chanson du cavalier XVIII. Extase XIX. Colombine XX. Les Dragons XXI. Scherzettino XXII. Appel du soir XXIII. Troisième Mazurka XXIV. Aubade

Chamber Piano Quintet, Op. 1 (1863–64) I. (Larghetto - Allegro deciso - Allegro) II. (Scherzando) III. (Larghetto, quasi marcia religiosa) IV. Finale (Allegro) Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 17 (1870-73?) I. (Allegro moderato) II. (Allegretto non vivo) (B major) III. (Scherzando vivace) (G minor) IV. (Adagio - Allegro con fuoco - Molto expressivo senza rigore)

Concertante Piano Concerto, Op. 12 (1871) (ded. to and first performed (in 1872) by Camille Saint-Saëns piano) (also arr. for 2 pianos by Vincent d'Indy) I. (Allegro moderato) II. (Molto lento) III. (Allegro con fuoco)

Orchestra Robert Schumann: Trois morceaux, arr. for orchestra (unpublished) Marche Scandinave (ded. to Georges Bizet) (unpublished) Symphony No. 1 (1865) (unpublished) 5 Airs de Danse, suite for orchestra (1870) (unpublished) I. Introduction et Ronde II. Tempo di Walzer III. Sicilienne IV. Menuet V. Danse guerrière Esquisses symphoniques, Op. 15 (1872) I. Prélude II. Gavotte III. Allegretto IV. Retour du Prélude et Finale Symphony No. 2 (1872) (unfinished) Franz Schubert: Impromptu, Op. 90, No. 1, arr. for orchestra (1872) (unpublished) 3 Pièces dans le style ancien (1873) (orchestration of Nos. 3, 4, and 5 of Op. 9) (unpublished) I. Sarabande II. Air III. Fughette Torquato Tasso, Ouverture (unfinished)

Songs 6 Poésies d'Armand Silvestre, Op. 8 (1868–73) (orchestrated 1920 by Charles Koechlin) I. Le Bûcher II. Le Semeur III. Sonnet mélancolique IV. La Mer V. Renouveau VI. Vendange

Choral Paraphrase du Psaume 84, for soloists, choir, and orchestra, on a text by Louis Gallet, Op. 16 (1872) Mass (1872) (unfinished)