Charles d'Ivry

Charles d’Ivry was born on 27 October 1867 at the Château de Coraboeuf in Ivry-en-Montagne (France). His father was the composer Paul d’Ivry. He grew up in a musical environment shaped by his father’s professional activity, and during his childhood he was introduced to music within the family. He later enrolled at the Paris Conservatoire, where he studied harmony with Theodore Dubois and Albert Lavignac, fugue with Andre Gedalge, and composition with Jules Massenet, Gabriel Faure, and Charles Lenepveu. During his studies, Charles d’Ivry entered the Prix de Rome composition competition several times. He reached the final round in 1895 and in 1896 was awarded a First Second Grand Prix de Rome for the cantata Melusine.

No information is known about the period after his studies or how Charles d’Ivry earned his living. There is no catalogue of his works, and nearly all of his compositions are reported as lost. Today only three songs are known: "Nazareth", "Serenade", and "Pendant la tempête".

Charles d’Ivry died on 15 May 1945 in Sainte-Eulalie (commune Cantal, France).

In my possession is the autograph manuscript of the song "Renouveau" by Charles d'Ivry. The work is scored for voice and piano and sets a poem by Jean de Chamerlat to music. The manuscript is inscribed at the end to the "Marquis de Montlaur" and dated 1916. It seems that this is the only existing autograph music manuscript by Charles d'Ivry, for example the French National Library just holds one (!) autograph letter.