Antonin Marmontel, a pianist born in Paris in 1850, was the son of a celebrated professor at the Conservatoire, the one who trained Bizet and Debussy. He entered it in his turn as a solfège tutor, then in 1901 obtained a piano class reserved for women, since teaching was then segregated. He composed a hundred and fifty pieces, written for pupils rather than for virtuosos.
The story
Born in Paris on 24 November 1850, Antonin Marmontel was the son of the pianist Antoine François Marmontel (1816-1898) — the teacher who trained Bizet, Debussy, d'Indy and Albéniz at the Conservatoire.
He took an honourable mention in the Prix de Rome in 1873, then entered the house where his father taught: solfège coach from 1875 to 1881.
In 1901 he was given a piano class for women — teaching was then separated by sex —, and became in his turn a full professor at the Conservatoire.
He composed some hundred and fifty pieces, almost all for the piano: a teacher's repertoire, written to be played by pupils rather than by virtuosos.
He died on 23 July 1907 and rests in Division 63, on the Avenue Circulaire, twelfth row, in the grave that carries his father's name: “Sépulture A. Marmontel”.
The grave
A family grave whose main inscription — “Sépulture A. MARMONTEL” — designates first the father, Antoine François Marmontel (1816-1898), teacher of Bizet, Debussy, d'Indy and Albéniz. The rest of the stone is partly illegible: “Ici repose […] 1889 […]” — here lies. The son, a professor at the same Conservatoire a generation later, rests there under the father's name.
On site, do not miss
The inscription bears the father's name: “Sépulture A. MARMONTEL”. Antoine François (1816-1898) was the teacher of Bizet and Debussy; it is in his tomb that the son rests.
Visitors' questions
Where is Antonin Marmontel's grave?
In Division 63, avenue Circulaire, twelfth row. It is a family grave, and the inscription bears the father's name: “Sépulture A. MARMONTEL” — the Marmontel burial plot. Division 63 has almost no other recorded grave.
Hippolyte MonpouDid Marmontel teach Debussy and Bizet?
No: that was his father, Antoine François Marmontel (1816-1898), a professor at the Conservatoire, whose pupils included Bizet, Debussy, d'Indy and Albéniz. Antonin, born in 1850, taught there in his turn, a generation later.
Georges BizetWhat did Antonin Marmontel teach?
Theory first, as a coach from 1875 to 1881, then piano: in 1901 he was given a class for women, teaching at the Paris Conservatoire being segregated by sex at the time. He had been a theory coach there since 1875.
Gabriel PiernéWhat did Antonin Marmontel compose?
Around a hundred and fifty pieces, almost all of them for piano: the repertoire of a teacher, written for pupils rather than for virtuosos. He had won an honourable mention at the Prix de Rome in 1873.
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