Pierre-Joseph-Justin Bernard
Encyclopedia
Pierre-Joseph-Justin Bernard (26 August 1708 – 1 November 1775), called Gentil-Bernard by Voltaire
for the measured grace of his discreetly erotic verses, was a French military man and salon poet
with the reputation of a rake, the author of several libretti
for Rameau
. Mme de Pompadour arranged to have him appointed a royal librarian, at the château de Choisy
, where she had a little pavilion built for him.
He was born in Grenoble
. He received a Jesuit education at Lyon
and joined the staff of Marshal François de Franquetot de Coigny
, rising to become the Marshal's chief secretary and serving him in this capacity for a decade. On his return he was taken up by the young Mlle Poisson, not yet marquise de Pompadour. His libretto for Jean-Philippe Rameau
's Castor et Pollux
(1737), a resounding success, rendered him fashionable in the salons. He translated Ovid
's Ars amatoria
(L'Art de l'Amour) but never intended to publish it, or much else of his fugitive verses. The publisher Leroux noted it in the salons where Bernard often declaimed it, and printed it. Bernard was also known for his Epistle to Claudine.
For Rameau Bernard also provided libretti for the operas Les surprises de l'Amour
(1748) and Anacréon
(1757).
His poem "Ô! Fontenay" was set as a romance
by Joseph Denis Doche. In his book of biographical essays, Arsène Houssaye
devoted a chapter to Gentil-Bernard, the "French Anacreon
".
After some years either senile or gently mad, he died at Choisy-le-Roi
in 1775. Arsène Houssaye asserted that "the poor poet had a devout niece for his heir, who burnt everything as a sacrifice except the will."
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
for the measured grace of his discreetly erotic verses, was a French military man and salon poet
Salon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
with the reputation of a rake, the author of several libretti
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
for Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau was one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the Baroque era. He replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of French opera and is also considered the leading French composer for the harpsichord of his time, alongside François...
. Mme de Pompadour arranged to have him appointed a royal librarian, at the château de Choisy
Château de Choisy
The Château de Choisy was a sometime royal French residence in the commune of Choisy-le-Roi in the Val-de-Marne département, not far from Paris...
, where she had a little pavilion built for him.
He was born in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
. He received a Jesuit education at Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
and joined the staff of Marshal François de Franquetot de Coigny
François de Franquetot de Coigny
François de Franquetot de Coigny was a Marshal of France, Count, and from 1747, the Duke of Coigny.He was born in the Coigny château near Coutances, Normandy as son of Robert-Jean de Coigny, and Marie-Françoise de Matignon. His uncle was Charles-Auguste de Goyon-Matignon, Marshal of France and his...
, rising to become the Marshal's chief secretary and serving him in this capacity for a decade. On his return he was taken up by the young Mlle Poisson, not yet marquise de Pompadour. His libretto for Jean-Philippe Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau
Jean-Philippe Rameau was one of the most important French composers and music theorists of the Baroque era. He replaced Jean-Baptiste Lully as the dominant composer of French opera and is also considered the leading French composer for the harpsichord of his time, alongside François...
's Castor et Pollux
Castor et Pollux
Castor et Pollux is an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau, first performed on 24 October 1737 at the Académie royale de musique in Paris. The librettist was Pierre-Joseph-Justin Bernard, whose reputation as a salon poet it made. This was the third opera by Rameau and his second in the form of the...
(1737), a resounding success, rendered him fashionable in the salons. He translated Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
's Ars amatoria
Ars Amatoria
The Ars amatoria is an instructional love elegy in three books by the Roman poet Ovid, penned around 2 CE. It claims to provide teaching in three areas of general preoccupation: how and where to find women in Rome, how to seduce them, and how to prevent others from stealing them.-Background:After...
(L'Art de l'Amour) but never intended to publish it, or much else of his fugitive verses. The publisher Leroux noted it in the salons where Bernard often declaimed it, and printed it. Bernard was also known for his Epistle to Claudine.
For Rameau Bernard also provided libretti for the operas Les surprises de l'Amour
Les surprises de l'Amour
Les surprises de l'Amour is an opéra-ballet in two entrées and a prologue by the French composer Jean-Philippe Rameau. It was first performed in Versailles on 27 November 1748. The opera is set to a libretto by Gentil-Bernard...
(1748) and Anacréon
Anacréon (1757)
Anacréon is an opera by the French composer Jean-Philippe Rameau, first performed at the Opéra, Paris, on 31 May 1757 as part of a revised version of the opéra-ballet Les surprises de l'Amour. It takes the form of a one-act acte de ballet and has a libretto by Pierre-Joseph-Justin Bernard . Rameau...
(1757).
His poem "Ô! Fontenay" was set as a romance
Romance (music)
The term romance has a centuries-long history. Applied to narrative ballads in Spain, it came to be used by the 18th century for simple lyrical pieces not only for voice, but also for instruments alone. During the 18th and 19th centuries Russian composers developed the French variety of the...
by Joseph Denis Doche. In his book of biographical essays, Arsène Houssaye
Arsène Houssaye
Arsène Houssaye , French novelist, poet and man of letters, was born at Bruyères , near Laon. His real surname was Housset....
devoted a chapter to Gentil-Bernard, the "French Anacreon
Anacreon
Anacreon was a Greek lyric poet, notable for his drinking songs and hymns. Later Greeks included him in the canonical list of nine lyric poets.- Life :...
".
After some years either senile or gently mad, he died at Choisy-le-Roi
Choisy-le-Roi
Choisy-le-Roi is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:Crossed by the Seine river, it is located from the center of Paris....
in 1775. Arsène Houssaye asserted that "the poor poet had a devout niece for his heir, who burnt everything as a sacrifice except the will."