Introduction

Biography

Charles was the son of Fran­çois Lou­is Gou­nod.

He en­tered the Con­ser­va­toire in 1836, stu­dy­ing un­der Ha­lé­vy and oth­ers, gain­ing the Grand Prix de Rome in 1839.

After spend­ing some years in It­aly and Ger­ma­ny, he re­turned to Pa­ris, where he spent the rest of his life, ex­cept 1870–75, when he lived in Eng­land.

He was elect­ed a mem­ber of the In­sti­tut de France in 1866.

In the se­cu­lar world, one of Gou­nod’s most played works is Fun­er­al March of the Mar­io­nettes, which was the ba­sis of the theme song for the te­le­vi­sion show Al­fred Hitch­cock Pre­sents (1955–62).