Page:Pratt - The history of music (1907).djvu/457

 farcical element was by no means constant. Many works are true 'comedies' or 'comedy-operas,' being distinguished from the serious opera by the lighter quality of their materials and the piquant course of their plots. It was this latter tendency that made it easy for the opéra comique, for instance, to pass over later into the 'drame lyrique,' with its accent upon poetic fancy and elegant construction (see sec. 204).

An institution that has been enormously influential upon the trend of all French musical art was the Conservatoire de musique. This was nominally a product of the Revolution epoch, being organized in 1795. But back of it lay two previous enterprises, the École royale du chant (1784) and the École gratuite de musique or Institut national (1792), the latter of which was at first meant to utilize as instructors the members of the Garde Nationale and to supply musicians for the army. The head of the former enterprise was the symphonist Gossec, and of the latter the bandmaster Bernard Sarrette (d. 1858), a man of remarkable enthusiasm, pertinacity and, as it proved, executive ability. After a brief initial experiment with other managers, in 1796 Sarrette was made director. Although his training had not been comprehensive, under him the new institution at once leaped into a commanding position, especially as regards dramatic music. The liberal annual subsidy from the government (originally about $50,000) enabled him to gather a remarkable array of talent in the teaching force and to lay out instruction on broad lines. He continued until thrown out by the political changes of 1814-5. Since then the governmental support has usually provided well for faculty, library and other equipment, buildings and prizes. The number of pupils has averaged about 600, and that of the instructors is now about 80. There is now an extensive system of related schools in the provinces (at Lille, Nancy, Nantes, Rennes, Dijon, Lyons, Toulouse, etc.). The directors since Sarrette have been Perne (from 1816), Cherubini (from 1822), Auber (from 1842), Ambroise Thomas (from 1871), Dubois (from 1896) and Fauré (from 1906). The later eminence of the institution is due to the artistic breadth and administrative wisdom of Cherubini and Auber.

The relation of the Conservatoire to dramatic music has been close and constant. Indeed, through all its early history the cultivation of this was its one great object—thus differing from some other analogous enterprises. The most coveted of the prizes offered is the Prix de Rome (established in 1803), given for excellence in dramatic composition and entitling the holder to four years in Italy.

One of the undertakings of the Conservatoire has been the publication of official text-books in harmony, singing, piano-playing, etc. These have conduced powerfully to unity and thoroughness, though sometimes their continued use has delayed wholesome progress.

Parallel with the Conservatoire, though controlled by different principles, are the subsidized opera-houses of Paris, of which the Grand Opéra is the chief (administered under the name of the 'Académie de musique'),