Charles Gounod-Part 7

In 1852 Gounod became conductor of the united male singing societies in Paris as well as the vocal schools. Gounod's important dramatic works were produced during the years from 1850 to 1870, after which he devoted his time almost wholly to religious compositions. The dates of the best known works are as follows:

• Sappho (1851)

• Ulysses (1852)

• La Nonne Sanglante (1854)

• Le Medecin malgre lui (1858)

• Faust (1859)

• Philemon et Baucis (1860)

• La Reine de Saba (1862)

• Mireille (1864)

• La Colombe (1866)

• Romeo et Juliette (1867).

Although Gounod was a thorough master of the resources of the orchestra his two symphonies (D and E flat), written in 1852, have never claimed wide attention and are generally conceded to be unimportant.