Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Afro-French Composer, Violinist & Conductor Born Dec. 25, 1745

[Saint-Georges/Mozart String Quartets; Antares Quartet; Integral Classic INT 221.125 (2003)]

Joseph de Bologne, Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799) was also France's finest fencer, and Colonel of a Legion of Black Volunteers in the French Revolution. His Home Page details his biography and career in fencing and music, and links to sub-pages on Gian Faldoni, a Fencing Rival, and on selected recordings divided into Violin Concertos, Symphonies, String Quartets and Harpsichord Concertos. Two audio samples can be accessed from the Home Page; the full list of 12 audio samples can be found on the Audio page of AfriClassical.com

The biography of Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges was substantially updated this year to include major findings of the most recent biography, Joseph de Saint-George, le Chevalier Noir (The Black Chevalier) (2006) by Pierre Bardin. Joseph's African heritage made him ineligible to inherit his father's status as a member of the nobility. Offices were bought and sold under the monarchy. Bardin documents Joseph's purchase of an office which gave him legal use of the title “Chevalier” among other prerogatives. Pierre Bardin demonstrates the existence of a small but diverse population of Black Parisians during the 18^th century, including an African slave on Martinique, who gained his freedom in France, married a White French woman, and opened his own fencing hall in Paris.

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