ROUGET DE LISLE AMEDEE: (1807-1887) French reputed Engineer and Man of letters. Mayor of Mandé.

ROUGET DE LISLE AMEDEE: (1807-1887) French reputed Engineer and Man of letters. Mayor of Mandé. Co-writer of the Dictionary of Arts. Nephew of Claude Rouget de Lisle, author of the French Anthem La Marseillaise. A.L.S., `A. Rouget de Lisle, Engineer & Man of Letters´, three pages, 8vo, Saint Mandé, 27th December 1864, to the curator of Saint Omer, in French. An extremely interesting letter related to the authorship of the French Anthem La Marseillaise. Amédée Rouget de Lisle has sued François Fétis because of his book Universal Biography of Musicians, published in 1864, where he questions the authorship of the French anthem, indicating that the authentic composer was Guillaume Navoigille. Rouget de Lisle requests information regarding an oratorio and a Chapel Master named Grison, in order to help him to prove the defamation stating in part `..They say that Grison composed and performed the oratorio Esther during Spring 1792. They say that the Marseillaise musical pattern can be found all along the oratorio. You must have read about this controversy on newspapers and about my lawsuit against Fétis who has fabricated two false apocryphal works and states that Navoigille is the real composer..´ further saying `Short before going to court he made a public retraction and full confession to me about his lies and imposture. He confessed he did not have such works.. But this crazy old man regrets having said so and tries again to prove what he published..´. Rouget concludes requesting the maximum information asking his correspondent `Allow me to ask you for details about Grison, Chapel Master of one of your churches. At what period time did he live? When did he composed the oratorio Esther? Was this oratorio performed at Saint-Omer? When did Grison passed away?..´ A letter of excellent content. Very small overall age wear. Folded. VG £150-200 François-Joseph Fétis (1784-1871) Belgian Composer and musical Critic. Director of the Royal conservatory of Brussels. Author of Biographie Universelle des Musiciens published in 1864. Fétis attributes in his work that the authentic composer of the Marseilleise is Guillaume Navoigille. Guillaume Navoigille (1749-1811) French Musician.