b'Program NotesJoseph Bologne,Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges(17451799)Symphony No. 1 in G MajorComposed 1779Joseph Bologne, known as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, was an extraordinary musician and a legendary figure of late 18th-century France. Born in Guadeloupe, the son of a slave and a wealthy French planter, he moved with his mother to Paris as a young boy, where he excelled as both a musician and a sportsman. A prodigy of the violin and the sword, he grew up to make important contributions in music, athletics, the military, and as an admired member of French society. In addition to his other talents, he was renowned for his graceful dancing, his achievements as a horseman, swimmer, and skater, and his good looks and charm.Saint-Georges adventurous life was highly romanticized during the 19th-century. Known as one of the great fencers of his time, his most famous and sensational fencing match was organized by the Prince of Wales in 1787 against the Chevalire dEon. He played a role in the French revolution, leading a regiment of black French cavalrymen fighting for the Revolutionary Army. Imprisoned in 1793 for almost a year during the Reign of Terror, Saint-Georges is also thought to have traveled to Haiti in 1795 to support the slave revolt.A violin virtuoso, Saint-Georges composed technically demanding concertos, which he performed to great acclaim. He likely studied composition with Franois-Joseph Gossec. In addition to his concertos, he wrote six string quartets, several operas, and was a key player in the development of a new hybrid musical form, the symphonie concertante. He served as concertmaster and musical director of several important orchestras in Paris, including the Concert des Amateurs and the Concert de la Loge Olympique, which commissioned Franz Joseph Haydns set of six Paris Symphonies. continued.princetonsymphony.org/ 11'