Charles François Gounod (born 18 June 1818; died 18 October 1893) is one of many nineteenth-century French composers who is remembered by audiences for a limited number of compositions; however, there is much more to this prolific, complex, and unique composer. Gounod is among those credited with laying the foundations of modern French music, and his work influenced generations of composers during the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. He was best known during his lifetime as a composer of sacred music and opera, and was a significant influence upon composers such as Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) and even Claude Debussy (1862-1918), Jules Massenet (1842-1912), and Maurice Ravel (1875-1937). Gounod’s contribution to the genre of
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Citation: Flynn, Timothy. "Charles François Gounod". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 July 2024 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1821, accessed 09 October 2024.]