The Revolution's Musical Voice

The French Revolution (1789) transformed every aspect of French life, including music. Revolutionary ideals demanded: - Music for the people, not aristocrats - Massive outdoor festivals requiring new compositional approaches - Songs and hymns promoting revolutionary values

Revolutionary Composers and Works

Gossec adapted to revolutionary needs: - "Te Deum" for the Festival of Federation (1790) - Funeral music for revolutionary heroes - Hymns and marches for civic festivals

Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (1763-1817): - "Chant du départ" (1794): The "second Marseillaise" - Operas with republican themes - Sacred music for revolutionary festivals

"La Marseillaise" (1792): Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle's song, originally "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin," became the revolutionary anthem and eventual national anthem.

Musical Institutions Transformed

The Revolution reshaped French musical institutions: - The Opéra became a venue for revolutionary spectacles - The Conservatoire de Paris (1795) democratized musical education - Church music virtually disappeared - Amateur music-making flourished