MÉHUL, ETIENNE HENRI, one of the most remarkable composers of France, was born at Givet, in Ardennes, on the 24th of June 1763. His father was a cook, and destitute of education. Young Méhul's first lessons in music were derived from a poor blind organist of Givet, and such was the boy's aptitude, that, when ten years old, he was appointed organist of the Franciscan church there. In 1775 an able German musician and organist, Wilhelm Hanser, was engaged for the monastery of Lavaldeu, a few miles from Givet, and Méhul became his occasional pupil. In his sixteenth year Méhul was taken to Paris by a military officer, and placed himself under Edelmann, a good musician and harpsichord player. Méhul's attempts at instrumental composition in 1781 did not succeed, and he therefore turned his attention to vocal music, and especially dramatic. The great composer Gluck received him kindly, and gave him advice in his studies. After various delays and disappointments during his efforts for six years to obtain, at the Grand Opera, a representation of his Alonzo et Cora, he offered to the Opera Comique his Euphrasine et Corradin, which being accepted and performed in 1790, at once fixed his reputation. The critics acknowledged in it great energy of dramatic expression, and a brilliant instrumentation; but objected to a general want of graceful melody, and to heaviness and monotony in the harmony and accompaniments. His opera of Stratonice had great success. After several other operas which did not succeed, his Adrien appeared, and added much to his fame. He had been appointed one of the four inspectors of the Paris Conservatory, but that office made him feel continually the insufficiency of his early studies, and the falseness of his position. Timoleon, Ariodant, and Bion followed Stratonice, with various success. Epicure was composed jointly by Méhul and Cherubini; but the superiority of the latter was evident. Méhul's next opera, L'Irato, failed. After writing a number of other operas, his health gave way, from an affection of the chest. He composed in all forty-two operas, besides ballet music, and songs for festivals of the republic. After lingering for several years, he died on the 18th of October 1817. Among Méhul's contemporaries and countrymen may be mentioned Dalayrac, Grétry, and Monsigny, as successful and popular operatic composers. Hérod, another French composer of celebrity, was a pupil of Méhul, and died in January 1833. Boieldieu, Halévy, and Auber, have added much to the reputation of the more modern school of French opera composers. (G.F.G.)