Eugene Anthiome

Eugene Jean Baptiste Anthiome was born on 19 August 1836 in Lorient (France). His parents were opera singer and Eugene Anthiome embarked to a similar career. He entered the Paris conservatory and studied under Antoine Elwart (harmony), Francois Benoist (organ) and Michele Carafa (composition). In 1861 he submitted his cantata "Atala" to the Grand Prix de Rome and won a Deuxieme Second Grand Prix (which is the "4th place" in the order). In 1863 Eugene Anthiome was appointed professor for correpetition at the Paris conservatory and later took over the preliminary piano class. As the head of this class Eugene Anthiome was the piano teacher of Maurice Ravel from 1889 to 1891. Eugene Anthiome remained professor at the Paris conservatory until his retirement in 1901. 

Beside his work as a piano teacher Eugene Anthiome composed music since his student years. His work catalogue includes operas, operettas, a piano concerto, Sommeil et triomphe de Bacchus for orchestra, Grande marche funèbre for orchestra, a Grand trio for violin, cello and piano, Fantaisie romantique for violin and piano as well as other chamber music, many songs, the oratorio La naissance du Christ and the cantata Les noces de Prométhée. He also wrote a piano school titled "L'art du piano".

Eugene Anthiome died on 24 July 1916 in Versailles (France).

Asphodelis

In my possession is the autograph full score and piano reduction of the cantata "Asphodelis" by Eugene Anthiome. The work was composed in 1900 and is subtitled "Legende d'ombres". It is divided into 5 parts, scored for narrator, soli, choir and orchestra and uses a poem by Paul Barret de Beaupre. As far as I know the work was neither premiered nor published.

The daughter of Eugene Anthiome, Jeanne Henriette Anthiome, married Paul Barret de Beaupre in 1891 and so the librettist of the work was the son-in-law of Eugene Anthiome.