Origins & Early Life

François-Joseph Fétis (French: [fetis]; 25 March 1784 – 26 March 1871) was a Belgian musicologist, critic, teacher and composer. He was among the most influential music intellectuals in continental Europe. His enormous compilation of biographical data in the Biographie universelle des musiciens remains an important source of information today. Fétis was born in Mons, Hainaut, eldest son of Antoine-Joseph Fétis and Élisabeth Desprets, daughter of a noted surgeon.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He had nine brothers and sisters. His father was titular organist of the noble chapter of Saint-Waltrude. His grandfather was an organ manufacturer. He was trained as a musician by his father and played at young age on the choir organ of Saint Waltrude. In October 1806 he married Adélaïde Robert, daughter of the French politician Pierre-François-Joseph Robert and Louise-Félicité de Kéralio, friend of Robespierre.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

They had two sons: the elder son Édouard Fétis helped his father with the editions of Revue Musicale and became member of the Royal Academy, while the younger son Adolphe Louis Eugène Fetis was a composer and professor. In 1866 his wife died, and he withdrew from the Brussels society and court. When his...

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