Claemsin Rhiassun

**Baronet Claemsin Rhiassun an Rulden**, or by his full name **Claemsin Peswarr Zighmonde Rhiassun an Rulden** (1808, Rulden - 1891, Cittalohn) was a babian composer, musician, conductor and opera director, one of the most significant figures of babian classical music.

## Baronet

Claemsin Rhiassun an Rulden

1849 portrait

### Born

February 2, 1808 in Rulden, Kingdom of Babyland

### Died

October 18, 1891 in Cittalohn, Kingdom of Babyland

### Parents

Ellin RhiassunFelline Arlinn

During his lifetime, among other works, Rhiassun composed 13 operas, 7 symphonies, 13 overtures, 20 études, 6 arias, 134 songs and 6 chamber music works. His most significant work is the *Kythrania*, a monumental cycle of seven consecutive operas that are based on the most important ancient works (*Druamdhullia*, *The Song of Ellgyr*, *Ricuerlania* and *Dernasthalia*) on kythranian legends.

## Life

### Childhood

Claemsin Rhiassun was born on February 2, 1808 in Rulden, Babyland. He was born into the house at the address of 13 Trathel Thulippanin as the only child of ferlor parents. His father was Baronet Ellin Rhiassun, the proficient organist of the town, and his mother was Baronetess Felline Arlinn. Rhiassun showed an interest in music since an early age. He frequently didn't attend school so he could listen to his father's music in the local church, but he himself wasn't interested in playing on instruments yet and still hasn't decided what career he should choose. His father wanted him to become a doctor, hoping that this way Claemsin will be able to provide for the family, and warned him not to start a musical career, even though he himself was a musician. He added that being a musician is a "waste of time" as Claemsin recalled in his diary.

But when Claemsin became 12 years old, he decided to start a musical career. Because of his mother's approval, Claemsin could finally start his education at the School of Musicians in Lion. Ellin Rhiassun later approved of his son's decision seeing that Claemsin is very talented, and he can become a much greater musician than his father was. Thus, on September 1, 1820 Claemsin Rhiassun began his first year in the School of Musicians.

His teacher was one of the most famous musicians of the time, Kolnietl Thúsa, who was 51 years old when he started educating Rhiassun, and was at the zenith of his career. As a first step Thúsa taught music theory to Rhiassun. He explained to him everything there was to know about musical scales and various symbols, and he also taught him how to play the piano. In the beginning, he made Claemsin to play simple compositions, but later it was revealed that Rhiassun has a real talent to play the piano, and he was even able to play his teacher's works. Rhiassun attended music school for four years, and was eager to master the art of music. When Rhiassun was 14 years old, tragedy struck: his loving mother Felline died. Rhiassun was completely shattered by the tragedy, and seeked shelter in music. He became estranged of his father, and Kolnietl Thúsa became his father figure.

### Beginning of musical career and marriage

Two years after the death of Rhiassun's mother, Thúsa judged that his apprentice is ready to start his own musical career. Thus Rhiassun went back to Rulden, and became the assistant of the organist at the St. Arnul Church. His task was to play on the organ when the organist himself fell ill or temporarily couldn't attend a church service. The church staff quickly realized how talented Rhiassun was, so much so, that when he became 19 years old, he was offered the job of choirmaster. He accepted the offer, and in a few weeks already conducted the choir at the mass. Many recognized his exceptional talent, and were amazed to see how good is he in recognizing the advantages and disadvantages of the choristers. For example, in case of some particular songs, Rhiassun made the ones who had better and stronger voices to stand up front, and the others with the less good voices to stand in the background. At other times, he decided on whether a song should be sang in a deep or a high voice. Rhiassun was choirmaster of the St. Arnul church until 1840, when he became 32 year old. At this time, he decided to leave the church to build his own career as a musician. It was at this time that he fell in love with a choir girl who was the same age as him, Felícia Amanda Eclanns, and who he later married.

In 1840, Rhiassun composed his first musical work, titled the *Étude No. 1 in B Minor*, which he wrote for the piano. In these days, he earned his money by working as a librettist, writing librettos for less-known musicians. This job gave him enough income that he could live a comfortable life and could write his own compositions. As at this time he was only practicing, he mainly composed études, short musical compositions on which he could try new musical scales and timbres, which he could later master. In parallel with composing études, Rhiassun started composing other works, songs in particular. His first romantic song was titled "*Din Pophell"* ("The Poppy") which he composed in 1842, based on a poem by Asmunt Ghierral. In this same year, Rhiassun was gifted with two sons named Petrogla and Weill, who later also became musicians. In 1843, Rhiassun and his family left Rulden and moved into Denghill near the Worzelfirren mountains. Here, Rhiassun composed the *Étude No. 2 in B Minor*, a variation to his first work. Later, during his time in Denghill, he composed six variations for an étude in F Minor.

### Ordankh (1847-1850)

In 1847, when he was 39 years old, Claemsin Rhiassun had a pleasant surprise, as he received a letter from his tutor Kolnietl Thúsa, informing him that Rhiassun has been selected to be the conductor of the famed Grand Opera of Ordankh. The background of the letter was an earlier letter written by Rhiassun in May 1847, expressing his need for help as at the time he didn't have a permanent job, and thus wasn't able to provide for his family:

> ...and alas, we can't even fill our stomachs anymore. I only get to do temporary jobs, for a minimal payment. (...) That is why I ask you my lord, to aid me somehow in these hard times, because I don't think I can uphold this situation for long.
>
> Claemsin Rhiassun's letter written in May 1847

Thúsa was the one to inform the opera house of the great talent of Rhiassun, and they chose to select him as their conductor if he meets the requirements. Rhiassun accepted the generous offer, and he and his family immediately moved to Ordankh so that Rhiassun could start his work as an opera conductor. He was first tested by the opera house to see if he is really that talented as Thúsa described him. The test was that Rhiassun had to conduct an opera with full audience, and if the performance is a tragic fail, he can't remain as conductor. The opera chosen for the trial was *The Silver Sword* by Martelle Oghinn. Thankfully to Rhiassun, the performance was a giant success, and his name became known among the local aristocrats too. In 1848, Rhiassun composed his final étude in E Minor titled *Étude in E Minor No. 4*, and composed his first étude in A Minor, titled *Étude in A Minor No. 1*. In the next year, not much after the premiere of Zighmonde Clethun's opera "*Clendin*", Rhiassun and his family went to Bufalo for a week, where he composed his first chamber music titled *Bufalonian dance*, which he composed for violin and viola. In 1850, after three years of working as a conductor, Rhiassun decided to abandon his career so he could return to his primary activity of composing. To ensure his financial well-being, he contacted known musicians, and offered to write librettos to their operas. The most famous opera that was based on Rhiassun's libretto is arguably Petrogla Stianhuell's classic "*Elmansaccur*", which was very successful, thus earning Rhiassun a small fortune.

## Works

*See: List of compositions by Claemsin Rhiassun*