Charles Leon Hess

Charles Leon Hess was born on 28 January 1844 in Lorient (France). His father was the composer Jean-Chrisostome Hess, so an early musical education was for sure. After school Charles Leon Hess studied at the Paris conservatory under Francois Bazin (harmony) and with Alexis Chauvet.
After his studies Charles Leon Hess focused on a career as a composer. His opera-comique "Le cure merveilleuse" was premiered at Rouen in 1875, his work "Psaume LXXVII" for soli, choir and orchestra a year later in Paris. He continued to compose and made his mark as a composer for chansons. A larger success came in 1893 when the Opera Comique in Paris performed his opera "Diner de Pierrot".
Charles Leon Hess died on 9 January 1926 in Paris (France).

In my possession is the autograph manuscript of the chanson "Les caresses" for voice and piano by Charles Leon Hess. The work was composed in 1892 and sets a poem by Eugene Lemercier to music. The work remained unpublished so far.