Clémence de Grandval

Clémence de Grandval (1828-1907) was one of the most celebrated French composers of the second half of the nineteenth century, alongside Marie Jaëll (1846-1925), Augusta Holmès (1847-1903) and Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944). Her birth into an aristocratic family scarcely predestined her to become a professional musician. Women of her background were expected to practise music only as a recreational art form, even though developing their talents could sometimes prove profitable in the event of a reversal of fortune. Clémence de Grandval, for her part, lived in comfortable circumstances, but showed an early desire to acquire professional skills, with the full support of her parents.