Valse for flute and piano from Suite of Three Pieces, Op. 116

Benjamin Godard (1849-1895) was a prolific French composer and violinist of the Romantic era. While he was a dominant figure in the Parisian salons of the late 19th century.
Born in Paris, Godard was a musical prodigy who began his journey as a violinist. He was raised in a cultured, middle-class environment that encouraged his rapid artistic development. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at a young age, studying violin with the legendary Richard Hammer and composition with Henri Reber.
A pivotal moment in his upbringing was his close relationship with the great Belgian violinist Henri Vieuxtemps. Godard accompanied Vieuxtemps on two concert tours of Germany, an experience that expanded his musical horizons and solidified his reputation as a first-rate performer.
Godard was a master of "salon music": short, atmospheric pieces for piano or solo instruments. However, he also had grander ambitions, composing eight operas and several symphonies. His most famous stage work, Jocelyn (1888), contains the "Berceuse" (Lullaby), which remains one of the most recognizable melodies in classical music.
Overall, he composed eight operas, five symphonies, three concertos, and many chamber music compositions. His composition style was close to Mendelssohn and Schuman, focusing on lyricism and charm rather than the dense chromaticism of the German avant-garde.
He died at the age of 45 in Cannes while receiving treatment for tuberculosis.