Lucien de Flagny
Lucien de Flagny was born as Lucien Grou in Geneva (Switzerland) in 1876. I could not find much information about his personal life nor his professional career. So it is unclear when and why Lucien Grou changed his name into Lucien de Flagny. And sometimes he was also announced as Lucien Grou de Flagny.
Around 1910 Lucien de Flagny was professor at the conservatory in Geneva. His main interest was the history of the French chanson. He often presented the results of his research in recitals, talking about the topic and also performing some of these works on the piano often together with the singer Helene Luquiens. Lucien de Flagny also published collections and arrangements of French chansons, for example "Melodies et chansons francaises" through Schott in 1911.
At the time around 1916 Lucien de Flagny also ran some sort of piano school. I could not find any details about this school, the only information that has survived is the fact that it was the location for the world premiere of two pieces by Erik Satie. On 2 April 1916 Satie's "Choses vues a droite et a gauche" and "Trois poemes d'amour" were both performed for the first time at the "Ecole Lucien de Flagny". Performers at this concert were no one less than Erik Satie himself, Ricardo Vines, Henri Fabert and Marcel Chailley. Given such performers the "Ecole Lucien de Flagny" must have been a notable institution in those days.
As a composer Lucien de Flagny put an emphasis on songs. His work catalogue goes up to opus 44 including a Meditation for violin and piano op.4 as well as a piano trio. All his other compositions are songs or larger works with voice. That include songs on poems by Elisabeth of Romania for which he received the Officer's Order of Romania in 1909. Among his compositions are also the two music dramas "Pauvre Gille" and "Bien fol qui s'y fie".
Lucien de Flagny died in 10 May 1927 in Paris (France).
In my possession is the autograph manuscript of a song by Lucien de Flagny. The song is titled "Histoire de Qui-Voleur" on a text by Andre Berry.
