The Black Mozart

by Walter E Smith

  She spent most of her time entertaining the King with many parties and suppers. The Marquise became widely known as a patron of the arts and literature. This is how she came to know Saint-Georges, who was himself becoming well known for his musical talents.

  Years later, after she could no longer perform her duties as a mistress to the King, the lovers' relationship thereafter, was based on friendship. He gave her the highest honor he could bestow, naming her a duchess. The King remained devoted to her until her death. Most women, especially those not of noble birth, during this period had limited roles to play in society. Yet, Madame de Pompadour surpassed the traditional role and became a woman of great power and influence.

  M. de Bologne, Saint-Georges' father, died shortly after his son had completed his studies and training at the school of M. de La Boëssière. Saint-Georges was in his early twenties. The exact date of his father's death is uncertain.

  Upon his death, M. De Bologne left his fortune to La belle Nanon. To Saint-Georges he left a yearly income of about 8000 francs. According to Henry Angelo, he left the rest of his immense fortune to a daughter by a Creole woman. There was no mention of his legal wife. This reference to a daughter by a Creole woman was an assumption made by Angelo, made by the fact that St.-Georges was a Creole. There is only one legal reference made to the daughter. According to the register of the "Bénéfices d'inventaires" of Paris, 1775, a girl named Elizabeth Bénédictine de Bologne Saint-Georges is listed,

  Saint-Georges became what was considered a great lover, admired by most men and loved by many women. These women didn't seem to mind his wooly hair and dark skin. His many other exceptional qualities over-shadowed these characteristics that some would have considered handicaps in the all-white aristocratic society. The fact that he was also an illegitimate child also didn't seem to deter the women of the day. Although Saint-Georges boasted of many sexual conquests, there seems to be only one lengthy, detailed account of his prowess and that was with his first love. I cannot verify this account but it was allegedly among the memoirs upon which Denys based his book.

  Young Saint-Georges in 1768

  When St.-Georges was twenty years old, he had his first love with an eighteen-year-old. He had been introduced to her in a salon. They danced together and St.-Georges was very attracted to her, but he had no idea how she felt about him.

  One day during a hunting party, they found themselves next to each other. Each hunter had been placed next to a young person whom he liked. Suddenly, they found themselves alone. He stared at her with love in his eyes. She seemed shy, but he noticed that her eyes were receptive. After a few minutes, he asked her if he could kiss her. Before she could answer, their lips touched gently in a very sweet kiss. They sat next to a small sand dune and she poured sand on his hand. Their fingers intertwined and he softly kissed her pretty face, which was red with emotion. They heard the birds singing as though celebrating those precious moments. She didn't seem to notice his color nor did he notice hers at that moment. Although her white skin contrasted with his brown color, it was not an issue. It was all emotion of two young people falling in love. He had never kissed a European but that was not the reason for his pleasure. They were just two human beings who loved each other. All the prejudices did not exist for them.

  He saw her again in Paris, more smitten than ever. He listened intently to her every word. At that time, some people would pay their valets and servants to take notes and to help arrange secret meetings. They were above all that.

  One of St.-Georges' friends, a young officer, owned a house in a very respectable neighborhood. The officer was away for a time. The lovers agreed to meet there. She would pretend to visit some of her lady friends. She would quickly excuse herself from them and hurry to see him.

  It was the happiest time of his short life. Everything was new. Her shyness slowly disappeared as they became closer. Her innocence and tenderness made him even happier. They would hold each other seemingly possessed. Nothing in the world was as pleasurable as when two people loved each other boundlessly.

  Summer vacations separated them so she wrote him youthful, beautiful love letters. A few years later, a jealous woman discovered them in his house and destroyed them.

  They loved each other for several years with all the power and passion that two people could feel. But in spite of everything, it could not last. Barriers were erected between them. He was a nobleman, but a nobleman of color, and a bastard.

  Her father and two brothers came to St.-Georges and told him clearly and emphatically that he could not see her again. If he persisted, they would be forced to bring great harm to him, socially as well as physically. They did not wish to have grand-children of an "inferior" race. They said that it would be an embarrassment to the family to have him as a family member. They absolutely could not continue their illicit affair.

  A short time later, she was married off to the son of a wealthy nobleman. St.-Georges hid behind a column of the church and watched her leave on someone else's arm. What began as the best time of his life, ended as the worst. He went home despondent, beyond repair.

  Later, he saw her in society, but they never spoke. It was a painful silence. Serving all of his life, he had a special place in his heart for her. First love endures. He would often take out a small locket that she had given him and he felt grateful for having shared such great pleasure even though there were still vestiges of pain.

  This painful and disappointing first love affair left a great scar on Saint-Georges. He was never the same with women after that, although he was loving, tender, and thoughtful. This affair may account for the fact that Saint-Georges went from one woman to another and loved many, but was never again in love.

  I did have amorous or gallant adventures; it was however in place of the home I dreamed of having with the only woman that I've really loved. I followed my destiny. If I flew from one woman to another, it was not my fault.3

  Although Saint-Georges loved women and left them, the only regret women had was his leaving, because he was far from cruel while loving them. He was loved greatly for his tenderness, warmth and his sincere respect for all women. What more could they ask from him except an eternity of it? There was a profound gratitude to have loved him. In this, he felt and showed a deep gratitude for having been loved as a man, regardless of his color.

  With his inheritance, his many attributes, and great charm, Saint-Georges burst upon the society of Paris. He was welcomed in the highest circles and was indeed treated like the gentleman he was.

  During the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, there were many salons. Some became more famous and were frequented by the most notable of the day. At these salons, the rich, the artists, men and women of letters congregated and socialized. To be invited to certain salons was very prestigious. Saint-Georges frequented the salon of La Marquise de Champonas, who was famous for the choice of people invited to her soirées. Saint-Georges was a man of fashion and his dress was imitated. Young people followed him and sought his company even for a brief moment of conversation. He was seen in all the elegant places, even in the Royal Palaces.

  Many evenings after the concerts, Saint-Georges would walk along the most popular boulevards. Other times he would ride in his fine carriage. He was always recognized and acknowledged. He was one of the favorites of the Parisian crowd. The women of the lower class smiled; the young women blew kisses to him.

  Saint-Georges was invited to all of the celebrations and was constantly in demand to dine at the homes of people of the highest social rank.

  As welcomed as Saint-Georges was in most circles, there were those who only accepted him superficially. He felt it sometimes when he was not welcome by all when attending some social function. Saint-Georges concluded that, since he had on occasion been subtly made aware that he was a gentleman, but of color, he had to be a little more polite than other gentleman toward his peers as well as to the man on the street o
r he might be open to racial repercussions. After all, even though he was a gentleman, his ancestors were black slaves. France, at this time still was in the slavery business in the two islands of Saint-Georges' childhood, as well as in other French colonies. He understood this early. Was a person of color ever really accepted by whites in this hierarchical society? Some people were big enough and secure enough to accept another person as a human being. Plus, Saint-Georges made every party or occasion much more enjoyable. Wasn't Saint-Georges an extremely talented man, a man of clever wit, and a pleasure to behold and a pleasure to love? Why then could he not be accepted as a peer, a man equal as they?

  Some took great pride in being Saint-Georges' protector, and he accepted this, but he realized all the time what the relationship between the protector and the protected was really about.

  In every memoir, in every article, indeed in all my research, Saint-Georges was always referred to as the mulatto, never just Saint-Georges, the fencer, the musician, etc.

  There was clearly this arrogance of superiority shown by some, but at the same time, the majority appreciated and lauded his works in France and in many other countries, especially England. These became his true admirers. His color didn't seem to matter to them, only his great contributions to French life and the French pleasures. His success and talent as a violinist and as a composer were especially lauded by the best French musicians and composers of the day, like Gossec, Laurencie, Le Clerc and many others.

  Although some biographers suggested that Saint-Georges was ugly, most people spoke of how handsome he was. Those who spoke of him as ugly, were in the minority. Was it an opinion or prejudice and jealousy? It was stated by Bachaumont that "...he is a valorous champion of love and was sought out by all the ladies aware of his marvelous talent, in spite of the ugliness of his face."4 Another reference to Saint-Georges' face was from H. Angelo who in recounting the story of a painting of Saint-Georges said that when Angelo's mother inquired of Saint-Georges if the painting in question of him was a good likeness, Saint-Georges replied, "Oh, madame, it is so resembling that it is ugly."5 So many other contemporaries, on the contrary spoke of Saint-Georges as being extremely handsome. That he had a well-built body presented no controversy. One of the few portraits still available painted by Brown, an American artist shows his face to be handsome. It is suggested that since Saint-Georges' features were not white features and that in his society as well as today's, the standard of beauty is of white features- - thin lips, narrow nose, etc.

  It is interesting how many controversies regarding Saint-Georges' exploits survived. History of course is interpreted by the historian, not always by the facts. A story depends on the storyteller. At several events that took place involving Saint-Georges, there were many people present who saw the events too differently; sometimes even the victor in a fencing duel was disputed.

  C.L.R. James in his book, The Black Jacobins on the life of Toussaint L'Ouverture, on the subject of history and historians said:

  The writing of history becomes ever more difficult. The power of God or the weakness of man, Christianity or the divine right of kings to govern wrong, can easily be made responsible for the downfall of states and the birth of new societies. Such elementary conceptions lend themselves willingly to narrative treatment and from Tacitus to Macaulay, from Thucydides to Green, the traditionally famous historians have been more artist than scientist: they wrote so well because they saw so little. Today, by a natural reaction we tend to a personification of the social forces, great men being merely or nearly instruments in the hands of economic destiny. As so often the truth does not lie in between. Great men make history, but only such history as it is possible for them to make. Their freedom of achievement is limited by the necessities of their environment. To portray the limits of those necessities and the realization, complete or partial, of all possibilities, that is the true business of the historian.6

  La belle Nanon lived with Saint-Georges in seclusion in his fine house, but not as his mother. The few people who saw her, thought of her as a house servant. She did not mind but St.-Georges regretted it very much. What else could he do?

  It was said by J.A. Rogers that Saint-Georges did indeed take his mother into the most brilliant salons, he presented her to his aristocratic friends, letting it be quietly known that whoever attempted to snub her would in turn be snubbed by him. "Who refuses her refuses me," he said.7 I found no evidence of this and it is very unlikely that Saint-Georges could have done so. It is unlikely so, for many reasons, especially since Saint-Georges himself was not immune from being snubbed, as he occasionally was.

  Saint-Georges had many encounters with adversaries, enemies and sometimes just plain robbers. One night Saint-Georges and a friend were walking down the street after attending a party when they were attacked by six men. Saint-Georges and his friend fought off the attackers. A pistol was fired and St.-Georges was slightly wounded and had a few bruises. The police arrested three of the attackers. When the Duke of Orléans, cousin of the King and protector and friend of St.-Georges heard of this attack, he demanded that the police chief investigate. A day later, the Duke was asked not to meddle in this affair. The attackers were policemen. It was understood by the Duke and St.-Georges that he had a powerful enemy, but they did not know who it was or why St.-Georges was attacked.

  Saint-Georges received many letters of condolences regarding his attack and minor wounds. The news of this affair traveled rapidly among society and brought him more fame and a great deal of sympathy from the ladies. He was viewed as adventurous, courageous and heroic. He was invited to even more salons and fêtes. Everyone wanted to talk to him, to hear of the adventures first hand. When walking in the streets, he was stared at and people whispered his name. Jean de Beauvoir who knew St.-Georges wrote:

  As soon as St.-Georges appeared in any circle, a murmur, to which all had long been accustomed, circulated through the room. They recognized him; and the expression of an unforgettable joy shone on his handsome brown face. The women, on seeing him, had the appearance of hiding behind their fans, as if to convey a secret to one another, while the men, the most distinguished in nobility, and intelligence, came forward to shake his hand. In an instant he had become the lion of the assembly.8

  Lamotte, St.-Georges' best friend, believed that some of the students from La Boëssière's school still held a grudge against him, especially Roland and Pierre. Roland had been defeated in a match when they were at the school and felt humiliated that a mulatto could get the better of him. It was to Pierre, his best friend that he declared that he would make St.-Georges pay for this embarrassment. St.- Georges was never aware of Roland's declaration and probably thought of the match as only a fencing match between students.

  Saint-Georges continued enjoying the pleasurable life until 1766, when he began turning more towards his musical talents and began studying composition under Francois Joseph Gossec (1734- 1829). At about the same time, a memorable event took place in the life of Saint-Georges that has been mentioned in many memoirs. This event was the encounter between Saint-Georges and Gian Guiseppe Faldoni.

  Guiseppe's father, Andreas, was a famous fencing master in Italy. He operated a famous fencing school at Leghorn, Italy. He became famous for developing excellent fencers and for his own prowess with the foil. His son Guiseppe was born in 1739, the same year as Saint-Georges, but of course under very different circumstances. Guiseppe's father, known as one of the first fencers in Italy, taught his son well and Guiseppe, having great natural talent, as was the case with Saint-Georges, developed into a great fencer. In 1759, Guiseppe, who was better known as Faldoni, made a successful tour through Italy. No one was able to defeat him nor give him a very competitive match. In 1761, he had a difference with a lieutenant of the Tuscan regiment. The lieutenant was a very good fencer and he attacked Faldoni on a public street, for what reason was not clear. Faldoni was surprised at his boldness and gave him four quick hits with h
is foil. This would have killed any man, but the lieutenant was still standing and showing no blood. What Faldoni did not know was that the lieutenant was carrying mail under his shirt. Faldoni decided to finish him with a hit in the neck but he was prevented by two army officers who stepped in to separate them. This move saved the foolish lieutenant's life.

  In 1763, Guiseppe went to Rome, accompanied by the renowned French fencer, Monsieur Delliser. He fenced in a public academy with Major Ruggero de Rocco Picolomini, one of the first fencers in Italy, who was at that time in the service of his majesty the King of Poland. They made four assaults (attacks), in which Faldoni made the first figure (hit). After that match, the other masters would not fence with him.

  In 1764 Monsieur Delliser invited him to France, for the purpose of having a match with a French fencing master at Marseilles, who had a large wager with him on who would make the first six hits. This wager was won by Faldoni, and the money was paid. He then proceeded to Lyon, where he arrived in June, and Monsieur Delliser introduced him to a fencing master, called Simon who would advise him on how to proceed with his quest to prove that he was the best fencer.

  He was advised to go to Paris, and to invite in a public academy Monsieur Saint-Georges, whom the French believed the only fencer in France that could stand before him. Accordingly, in the year 1766, he went to Paris, and was presented to Monsieur Saint-Georges, by Monsieur Lewis Delavoiner, professor of chemistry, with whom he became acquainted in Leghorn. Monsieur Saint-Georges refused to fence with him on learning he was an Italian. Faldoni then went around to all the schools in Paris, where he had ever day assaults with different masters and their prévots (assistant fencing masters), and beat them all, of which he received certificates in writing. All the masters in a body went to Saint-Georges, representing to him the necessity of his fencing with him; otherwise, they said, this Italian will boast of having beaten all the masters and assailants in Paris. Saint-Georges then determined to have and assault with him, and a meeting was given on the 8th of September, 1766, where there were several hundred spectators, nobility, etc. several masters had come for that purpose from Lyon and other parts of France, and these together with Paris masters, were placed in the third seats round the hall.9