Berlioz in Paris
Saint-Louis des Invalides, Le Dôme des Invalides
The Hôtel des Invalides was built between 1671 and 1706 on the instructions of Louis XIV who wanted to found an institution for the care of wounded and retired soldiers and officers. To this monumental complex was added a church, Saint-Louis des Invalides, crowned by the no less imposing dome, built between 1677 and 1708. At the end of the XIXth century, after the transfer of Napoleon’s remains, the Invalides were divided into two parts: the dome on one side, and on the other the rest of the church.
It was at the church of the Invalides that took place the first performance of the Grande Messe des Morts (the Requiem) on 5 December 1837, under the direction of Habeneck. Berlioz gives a detailed account of the complicated circumstances of the commission, composition and performance of the work. This includes the celebrated and controversial story of the pinch of snuff taken by the conductor at the critical moment, the beginning of the Tuba mirum with its four brass fanfares (Memoirs chapter 46). See also a review of the première of the Requiem, published in Le Charivari, 6 December 1837 (in French).
All the modern photographs reproduced on this page were taken by Michel Austin; other pictures have been scanned from
postcards in our own collection. © Monir Tayeb and Michel Austin. All rights of reproduction reserved.
Les Invalides in the early 20th century
Les Invalides in the early 20th century
The above postcard was published in 1908.
Les Invalides in the early 20th century
Interior of Les Invalides
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