Excerpt from the cover of the book “George Sand” by Brigitte Krulic. Editions Gallimard.
From alfalfa and carriages, romantic horseback rides, abundant books, cooking at the Nohant estate, and finally, music. This dawn rising in 2026 defies stereotypes. The image of a grandma-jam having survived, in her youth, some slightly risky adventures, is replaced by the novelist, memoirist, and passionate republican. So much so that a small group has formed, calling for the transfer of her ashes to the Panthéon.
Childhood Immersed in Music
Aurore Dupin de Francueil, also known as George Sand, enjoyed music as much as literature. Brigitte Krulic, in her remarkable biography, guides us through the exceptional world of this music lover.
“It was through her paternal grandmother that George Sand discovered music,” explains the academic. “This woman played the harpsichord, sang beautifully, and interacted with many great French musicians of the Enlightenment. Nestled at her grandmother’s feet, young Aurore not only listened to the soothing pieces but also learned about composers and musical schools. The influence of this lost paradise can be seen in the opening pages of ‘Consuelo,’ when the heroine listens to music by an organ. On multiple occasions, Aurore mentioned that she felt destined to become a musician. Unfortunately, strict music teachers can deter, through mediocre assessments, those with limited references. Clementi’s sonatas never inspired any vocations. This is why the young woman found her calling in words.”
A Life Surrounded by Great Musicians
However, her path was not without ruptures. Married to gain freedom, a sharp twist in a society that confines wives to a childlike status, Aurore Dupin, now Baroness Dudevant, fell in love with an aspiring novelist, Jules Sandeau, who introduced her to the head of Figaro, Henri de Latouche, who subsequently gave her the pseudonym George Sand that the world knows her by today.
Artistic and Political Engagement
George Sand attributed a political role to music. “Republican from a young age, she was convinced, under Liszt’s influence, that music could improve the social condition, help spread humanism among the poorest categories of people in the country,” says Brigitte Krulic. “She had an appreciation for popular music, the traditional songs, which she had transcribed by Chopin and Viardot to preserve the memory, with an almost ethnographic sense of these traditions, the essence of the people.”
At her Nohant estate, music feels right at home. Under the leadership of the excellent pianist Yves Henry, the “Nohant Festival Chopin” celebrates its sixtieth anniversary this year. From June 6 to July 22, performances by renowned musicians and artists like Elisabeth Leonskaja, Anne-Lise Gastaldi, Virginie Buscail, and Diana Ligeti, make the “Nohant Festival Chopin” a vibrant cultural event. George Sand would have been enamored by these literary and talented musicians.
For more information: Brigitte Krulic: “George Sand”, Gallimard 336 pages. 24€
Visit www.festivalnohant.com or www.triogeorgesand.com for more details.
