Jean-Baptiste Weckerlin (1821-1910) was a French composer, musicologist, and librarian who wore many hats throughout his career. Here's a breakdown of his achievements:
- Composer: While not his most enduring legacy, Weckerlin did compose orchestral, choral, chamber, and piano works. He also wrote hundreds of melodies, both original and arrangements of folk tunes.
- Musicologist and Historian: Weckerlin's true passion seems to have been for music history and scholarship. He edited collections of old French songs and operas, published books on diverse musical topics like folk songs, music printing, and instrumentation, and even contributed to musical journals and biographies.
- Librarian and Archivist: Weckerlin's love for music extended to preserving it. He served as librarian and archivist for the Société des auteurs et compositeurs (Society of Authors and Composers) and later became the librarian at the Paris Conservatory for over 30 years.
His most famous work is likely "Bergerettes, romances et chansons du XVIIIe siècle" (1860), a collection of 18th-century French songs, particularly bergerettes (pastoral songs), arranged for piano.
