Marie-Juliette Olga Lili Boulanger belonged to a great musical family, with a grandfather who played the violoncello, a popular soprano [the High pitch singer] grandmother, a qualified singer mother, the noble woman Raissa Myshetskaya, a successful composer father who was awarded Prix de Rome in 1835, and a well known teacher for composers was her sister Nadia Boulanger. Parisian musical life was the pattern of the family. Gabriel Urbain Faure, famous French composer was a family visitor.
Lilli had a grave attack of Pneumonia at the age of two, which she endured but it had affected her body resistance capability due to which she was often a victim of different diseases. She lost her beloved father when she was six years old for her father was at the age of 77 when she was born. Fundamental music was taught to both the girls by their mother. Later they were educated by renowned musicians. Well-known harpists Marcel Tournier and Alphonse Hasselmans taught music lessons to Lilli. In addition she learnt violin, piano and cello. Her composition learning started at the age of 16, Georges Caussade and Paul Vidal were her main tutors. She advanced much ahead in her talents which her elder sister appreciated and started switched over to teaching.... show more

Marie-Juliette Olga Lili Boulanger belonged to a great musical family, with a grandfather who played the violoncello, a popular soprano [the High pitch singer] grandmother, a qualified singer mother, the noble woman Raissa Myshetskaya, a successful composer father who was awarded Prix de Rome in 1835, and a well known teacher for composers was her sister Nadia Boulanger. Parisian musical life was the pattern of the family. Gabriel Urbain Faure, famous French composer was a family visitor.
Lilli had a grave attack of Pneumonia at the age of two, which she endured but it had affected her body resistance capability due to which she was often a victim of different diseases. She lost her beloved father when she was six years old for her father was at the age of 77 when she was born. Fundamental music was taught to both the girls by their mother. Later they were educated by renowned musicians. Well-known harpists Marcel Tournier and Alphonse Hasselmans taught music lessons to Lilli. In addition she learnt violin, piano and cello. Her composition learning started at the age of 16, Georges Caussade and Paul Vidal were her main tutors. She advanced much ahead in her talents which her elder sister appreciated and started switched over to teaching. In 1912 Lili got admission in the prestigious Paris Conservatoire and in the month of May she was to participate in the well known Prix de Rome contest for composers, but due to her physical indisposition had to pull out. None was adjudged for first position that year. In 1913 Lili was adjudged as the first woman for the much yearned prize being one of the two prizes being the carried over back log of 1912, hence shared with the co winner Claude Delvincourt. ”Faust et Helene” the vocal song was the composition which got Lili the prize. She had an attack of measles and hence she could reach Rome only in Mid march of 1914.The French Academy director Albert Besnard resented her presence because being a woman would wipe out the regulations amongst the pupils. In July when she came back to France for holidays with family, she had to stay back due to starting of World War I then, and tried to render help to her might. She returned to Rome, used the play of Maeterlinck named La Princesse Maleine for her opera work in 1916, and compared herself to the lonesome princess. Her physical indisposition once again forced her back to her family home in Mezy in Paris and she died in March 1918. Her music is in the foremost line up of French music represented by Faure, with a touch of Debussy’s impressionism and poignancy. Her death was considered a great loss to the composers’ world. Du fond de l’abime, Hymn de Soleil a cantata and a psalm setting were part of her significant compositions.
show less