A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Jullien, Adolphe

JULLIEN, Jean Lucien Adolphe, born June 1, 1845, was the son and grandson of distinguished literary men, his grandfather, Bernard Jullien (1752–1826) having held various professorships, and his father, Marcel Bernard Jullien (1798–1881), having been for some yearsprincipal of the College at Dieppe, and subsequently editor of the 'Revue de l'instruction publique,' and having taken a prominent part in the compilation of Littré's Dictionary. Adolphe Jullien was educated at the Lycée Charlemagne in Paris, and having taken the degree of licentiate in law, he completed his musical studies under Bienaimé, retired professor at the Conservatoire. His first essay in musical criticism was an article in 'Le Ménestrel,' on Schumann's 'Paradise and the Peri,' which had just been produced unsuccessfully in Paris (1869). In that article his pronounced opinions in favour of the advanced school of music are expressed as fearlessly as they are in his most recent writings. He has ever since fought valiantly for musical progress of every kind, and in the Wagnerian controversy he has taken a position which cannot be sufficiently admired. His recently published life of that master is not only a monument of accurate and erudite information, but a complete and in most cases just review of all his works, while the collection of caricatures and the other illustrations make the book exceedingly amusing. He is now about to publish a companion volume on Berlioz. But before engaging in the great musical battle of our day, he had proclaimed his convictions with regard to Berlioz, Schumann, and other composers who were too little appreciated in France, with great vigour and exhaustive knowledge of his subject. He has at various times contributed to the 'Revue et Gazette musicale,' the 'Ménestrel,' the 'Chronique musicale,' the 'Renaissance musicale,' the 'Revue contemporaine,' the 'Moniteur du Bibliophile,' the 'Revue de France,' the 'Correspondant,' the 'Revue Britannique,' 'L'Art,' 'Figaro,' and other periodicals. He was critic to the 'Français' from May 1872 to Nov. 1887, when that paper was amalgamated with the old 'Moniteur universel'; since that time M. Jullien has remained on the staff. Besides exercising the ordinary avocations of a musical critic, he has made an intimate study of the history of the eighteenth century, especially in connection with the theatrical affairs of the time; and most of his earliest books, which have become exceedingly difficult to procure, treat of this subject. His first books, 'L'Opera en 1788' (1873), and 'La Musique et les Philosophes au XVIII^e siècle' (1873), were followed by several which have no direct bearing on music. A complete list of his works since 1876 is appended:—'Un Potentat musical,' etc. (1876); 'L'Église et l'Opéra en 1735' (1877); 'Weber à Paris' (1877); 'Airs variés, histoire, critique, biographies musicales et dramatiques' (1877); 'La Cour et l'Opéra sous Louis XVI' (1878); 'La Comédie et la Galanterie au XVIII^e siècle' (1879); 'Histoire du Costume au Théâtre' (1880); 'Goethe et la musique' (1880); 'L'Opéra secret au XVIII^e siècle' (1880); 'La Ville et la Cour au XVIII^e siècle' (in which is embodied the second of the earlier works, 1881); 'Hector Berlioz' (1882); 'La Comédie à la Cour' (1883); 'Paris dilettante au commencement du siècle' (1884); and 'Richard Wagner, sa vie et ses œuvres' (1886). [App. p.819 "Add to list of works his biography of Berlioz, the companion volume to his 'Richard Wagner,' 1888."]

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