A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Varney, Pierre

VARNEY, Pierre joseph Alphonse, born in Paris, Dec. 1, 1811, was educated at the Conservatoire as a violinist, and was a pupil of Reicha's for composition. He was successively conductor at the Théâtre historique, the Théâtre lyrique, at Ghent, the Hague, Rouen, the Bouffes Parisiens, and at Bordeaux (1865–78). Several short operas and operettas of slight construction by him were brought out at the various places where he worked. He is best known as having furnished the music for the celebrated Chant des Girondins, 'Mourir pour la Patrie,' the words of which were by Dumas, and which played so important a part in the revolution of 1848. Varney died in Paris Feb. 7, 1879.

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