Suzanne Chaigneau was a French violinist and chamber musician, and a noted violin teacher.
Background
She spent her childhood between Barbizon and Paris, receiving her musical education from her mother and family friends including Charles Lamoureux and Camille Chevillard. She was the daughter of painter Ferdinand Chaigneau and Louise Deger, the twin sister of the cellist Marguerite and the sister of pianist Thérèse, with whom she played as the Trio Chaigneau.
Career
The Chaigneau home welcomed many artistic visitors and was also considered close to the Dreyfusard cause, with Georges Picquart among other visitors to the home. The Trio Chaigneau played in London and Edinburgh and, with assistance from Joachim, undertook a tour of Germany in 1905. Their repertoire was both the Austro-German classics – Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart – and modern French composers.
Apart from a few appearances in 1920, the Trio ended at the start of the First World War.
However she was able to continue with musical activity which brought her into contact with Wanda Landowska and Carl Flesch. Back in Paris she taught the violin, and founded the Institut moderne du violon with Lucien Capet in 1924.
She also became a music correspondent for the Berliner Tageblatt, signing her articles as "South Francoeur". In 1926 and 1927 Chaigneau spent time in Chicago with the Yanker family to teach her violin method.
Her books on violin playing included L’Art d’etudier, as well as a translation of the Journal Intime of Novalis.