Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (December 25, 1745 – June 12, 1799) was a French classical composer, virtuoso violinist, a conductor of the leading symphony orchestra in Paris, and a renowned champion fencer. Born in the then French colony of Guadeloupe, he was the son of Georges de Bologne Saint-Georges, a wealthy married planter, and Anne (aka “Nanon”), an African woman enslaved by his wife.

When he was young, his father took him to France, where he was educated. During the French Revolution, the younger Saint-Georges served as a colonel of the Légion St.-Georges, the first all-black regiment in Europe, fighting on the side of the Republic. Today the Chevalier de Saint-Georges is best remembered as the first known classical composer of African ancestry. He composed numerous string quartets and other instrumental pieces, as well as operas. [Source: Wikipedia]

Interesting fact: Former US president John Adams called him “the most accomplished man in Europe”.

This composer fits squarely into the Revolutionary War historical time period, so I recommend studying him with that history rotation if you’d like to tie your composer in with your other studies

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Our Chevalier de Saint-Georges study resources

Before There Was Mozart: The Story of Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-George by Lisa Cline-Ransome – Sadly, this book is only available on Kindle (can also be read on free Kindle app), but the images look really nice and vivid on the device, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We read this book in a single reading, and it’s an excellent option for younger children (grades 1-3), however, all of my children listened happily.

“The musical superstar of 18th-century France was Joseph Boulogne—a black man. This inspiring story tells how Joseph, the only child of a black slave and her white master, becomes “the most accomplished man in Europe.” After traveling from his native West Indies to study music in Paris, young Joseph is taunted about his skin color. Despite his classmates’ cruel words, he continues to devote himself to his violin, eventually becoming conductor of a whole orchestra. Joseph begins composing his own operas, which everyone acknowledges to be magnifique. But will he ever reach his dream of performing for the king and queen of France?“

Before There Was Mozart

The Other Mozart by Hugh Brewster –  This book is out of print, but I’ve seen reasonable copies on ebay in the past. This book has more text and also explores many of the people and events surrounding the composer’s life. It is an excellent picture book option for children in grades 4 and up, but my younger kiddo paid close attention as well.

“Joseph Bologne was one of the most famous men in 18th-century France. The son of a slave and a French nobleman in Guadaloupe, the ambitious Joseph moved to Paris, where he was christened the Chevalier de Saint George. During his extraordinary life, he conquered every limitation by becoming a champion swordsman, violin virtuoso, composer, and military commander in the French Revolution. From the plantations of the West Indies to the palace at Versailles, The Other Mozart details the true story of a remarkable man. Illustrated by original paintings and archival materials, the Chevalier de Saint Georges inspiring and affirming story lives on.”

The Other Mozart

I did not use Joseph Bologne Le Chevalier de Saint-George: The first black classical composer a.k.a. the black Mozart with my older children because I already owned the other two books, but I did get a copy to share with my younger kiddos, and they enjoyed it. The great news is that it’s readily available as a paperback if you can’t find The Other Mozart and don’t feel like messing with the Kindle for Before There Was Mozart. It was authored by an 8-year-old (at the time), so it’s a lighter read that my son could handle completely on his own. It opens up with an introduction page in comic-book style, so it captured his attention right away.

“From his birth to his death, this book will take you back in time to the 18th century on a journey through the life of Joseph Bologne Le Chevalier de Saint-George, the first black classical composer. Focusing on the major talents and key life events which shaped him into a melanin-powered super-star!”

Our weekly reading plan

We read the first book all at once as an introduction to our new composer. Then we read a little from The Other Mozart each week before listening to the music until we were done with the book. You definitely do not have to read both books because they obviously cover the same person’s life. I bought both to evaluate and ended up liking them equally, so I used both. Please don’t feel any pressure whatsoever to do that.

• Week 1: Before There Was Mozart (Read in a single sitting)
• Week 2: The Other Mozart – pp. 3-11
• Week 3: The Other Mozart – pp. 12-19
• Week 4: The Other Mozart – pp. 20-27
• Week 5: The Other Mozart – pp. 28-35
• Week 6: The Other Mozart – pp. 36-44
• Week 7: [No book] Listened to music only
• Week 8: [No book] Listened to music only
• Week 9: [No book] Listened to music only
• Week 10: [No book] Listened to music only
• Week 11: [No book] Listened to music only
• Week 12: Exam week

Our Musical Selections

We have an Amazon Music subscription, so we streamed The Music of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges and Saint-Georges: Violin Concertos Op. 5, Nos. 1-2 And Op. 8 during our term of study. You can purchase all or some of the songs without a subscription (streaming) or you can buy the MP3 or CD. We spent two weeks on each piece, and I picked these songs quite randomly (attempting to get a stylistic range), so please don’t go out of your way to match what I did. Just choose some of his songs and enjoy them!

• Weeks 1 & 2: L’amant anonyme, Ouverture: I. Allegro presto
• Weeks 3 & 4: L’amant anonyme: Ballet No. 1
• Weeks 5 & 6: Symphony in G Major, Op. 11 No. 1: II. Andante
• Weeks 7 & 8: Symphony in D Major, Op. 5 No. 3, RH 17 “Pastorella”: IV. Allegro
• Weeks 9 & 10: Violin Concerto No. 9 in G major, Op. 8: II. Largo
• Week 11: Violin Concerto in C major, Op. 5, No. 1: I. Allegro
• Week 12: Exam week

Other musicians to study

I recommend studying the following composers in the same year that you study Chevalier de Saint-Georges (You can find additional resources for studying all three of these composers on the Classics for Kids website):

• Joseph Haydn (Check this out: Simply Charlotte Mason: Haydn) – He wrote The “Paris” Symphonies for Saint-Georges to conduct in 1787.
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Saint-Georges was often called “le Mozart noir” – the black Mozart, and you’ll notice that all of the book titles above reference Mozart alongside his name. Be sure to discuss with your children the idea that calling someone the black version of a white “standard” is a common practice and is not a desirable way of describing a Black person’s talent. Learn more: Why was he called the Black Mozart? (scroll down to sub-heading)
• Ludwig van Beethoven (Check this out: Simply Charlotte Mason: Beethoven) – I don’t have a specific connection between Beethoven and Saint-Georges, but their lives did overlap.

We also watched these videos…just for fun!