#louis philippe

[guessimdumb]

Stuart Moxham & Louis Philippe - The Devil Laughs (2020)

Stuart Moxham of Young Marble Giants and Gist fame teamed up with French Chamber pop maestro Louis Philippe to record the Devil Laughs.

[dolphin1812]

And it’s the Louis Philippe sentence!

@cliozaur has touched on some of the reasons for Hugo’s sympathy for Louis Philippe. I think Louis Philippe also helped advance his career? Which may have inspired this shockingly bright portrayal.

I’m not going to break down the accuracy of all of Hugo’s statements on the king because I don’t know enough to do so (although it’s fair to say the veracity of some is debatable), but I do think some are useful in seeing the contrast between Louis Philippe and some recognizable politics from the novel. The emphasis on Louis Philippe sleeping with his wife, for instance, seems really strange if we don’t think of prior kings and their notorious affairs. It parallels the division between Marius’ devotion to Cosette and Gillenormand’s broader interest in affairs with women; Louis Philippe recognized that cultural attitudes around sex had changed and that displaying his loyalty to his wife was convenient (and, as a king, it may have had the added benefit of implying that he wasn’t wasting France’s wealth on affairs). His linguistic knowledge also parallels Marius’, and it makes him seem intelligent and cosmopolitan (which, while Les Misérables is very nationalistic in a 19th-century French sense, is still a good thing within that context; as seen with Feuilly and the various references to Poland, the US, Latin America, and other [primarily European] states, Hugo wanted to focus on France, but also didn’t think France was totally disconnected from the rest of the world. There were similarities and shared struggles, and Louis Philippe’s knowledge could have made him aware of that).

Hugo’s also right in that Louis Philippe was in a tough position because his rule was a compromise. On the one hand, that did mean he had support. On the other, that support was inherently tepid, as he was unsatisfying to conservatives happy with the earlier Bourbons (to whom Louis Philippe was too liberal) and to republicans (because he was still a king).

Where Hugo is at once most convincing and a bit uncomfortable to read is in his denunciation of being a king in general, arguing that that was Louis Philippe’s real flaw. As an argument in context, it works. A monarchist could always argue that what was needed was a “good” monarch, but here, Hugo demonstrates that even a king who is a perfectly good person – Louis Philippe – is still a king. And as a king, he still has problems. That kind of rule still feels repressive, even under a good person. The issue is when he attempts to place all blame on the monarchy as an institution rather than Louis Philippe for France’s problems and France’s violence (particularly in the case of the conquest of Algeria; it’s clear that Hugo’s objection isn’t to the conquest itself but to how it was carried out from how he says “too harshly conquered” rather than just “conquered”). That the institution of monarchy caused issues beyond Louis Philippe’s control is fair, but Louis Philippe also ruled. He was responsible for his decisions, even if his situation was a complicated one. Still, I think Hugo states it fairly well:

“What is there against him? That throne. Take away Louis Philippe the king, there remains the man. And the man is good. He is good at times even to the point of being admirable.”

[bandcampsnoop]

4/3/24.

Someone of Matthew Edwards musical pedigree was bound to come across my radar at some point - I just thought it would have been long before now.

Edwards is English, but currently lives in San Francisco. But I don't think he's part of the current SF/Oakland scene. His music is a bit more produced and literate. It's satisfying my need for music like that of Maxwell Farrington/Le SuperHomard, The Divine Comedy, David Bowie, and David E. Williams.

The Futurists are Edwards' San Francisco based band. He did record a "recent" LP in his hometown of Birmingham, England with a group he called The Unfortunates. He also was in The Music Lovers who put out music on Le Grand Magistery (known to me because of Momus and Louis Philippe). He has collaborated with Fred Frith, and members from Ladybug Transistor and The Essex Green.

This two-song 7" appears to be self-released.

[dawningwinds-s]

Historical figures should try being named something other than Louis. Especially the french ones. It's very rude of them to confuse us by all having the same name like that

[em-nikolaev]

French history is hilarious to me for the simple fact that once you get to a certain point it's just the incarnation of: "Wow! That was viscerally awful, let's do it again!"

Like,

In 1789, they were like "hey this king guy sucks, let's get rid of him." but then in 1799, they were like "nope. nope. that did not work at all, but hey, this funky Corsican guy seems cool I guess." then in 1814 "okay, the funky Corsican guy was not, in fact, cool, but we haven't had a king in a while, let's try that."

And then they end up going through a few kings, only to finally go back to another Napoleon?

Like guys, did we not learn our lesson the first time?

[navree]

the son of philippe égalité the duc d’orléans, louis philippe, was a general in the french army who joined general dumouriez in a plot to visit the austrians, who were an enemy of france, and the two subsequently deserted the french army. although there was no evidence that convicted égalité himself of treason, the simple relationship that his son had with dumouriez, a traitor in the eyes of the convention, was enough to get him and his two other sons arrested. he spent several months incarcerated, despite renouncing his son and condemning his actions. tried by the revolutionary tribunal on 6 november 1793, égalité was sentenced to death and guillotined that day. louis philippe would learn of the news while alone in exile in switzerland a month later. 

[nordleuchten]

La Marseillaise was created in 1792

Did Lafayette ever mention his opinion on it (even tho it only became the french national anthem in like, the late 1900's)?

Dear @msrandonstuff,

I have never seen any written record of La Fayette’s opinion concerning La Marseillaise but here a few thoughts that I would like to contribute.

La Marseillaise is a very patriotic song and La Fayette never ceased to be a very patriotic Frenchman. He may sometimes have disagreed with the political elite of France, but he never ceased to love the country itself. The song is not political and more an appeal to take up arms and defend France. La Fayette himself had several commands during the French Revolution and he wrote upon leaving France, that it was one of his deepest regrets that he could no longer defend is native home.

La Marseillaise was originally composed in 1792 during the French Revolution as the Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg. The Army of Rhine was under the command of Marshal Nicolas Luckner and Rouget de Lisle originally dedicated the song to the Marshal. La Fayette went along well with Luckner – to well perhaps, the two were individually accused of plotting together to overthrow the Revolution and to rescue the King. Luckner was later guillotined. It was also Luckner who replaced La Fayette after the latter fleet France and was imprisoned in Prussia.

Rouget de Lisle himself was an ardent Royalist, refused to take the Oath of Allegiance to the new constitution and was eventually imprisoned himself. He was in his political views not too far removed from La Fayette’s views although there were some notable differences.

The most compelling is probably the fact that Rouget de Lisle visited La Fayette for a short time while the latter was in exile in Utrecht near Vianen in the Netherlands. As interesting as this sounds, I have yet to puzzle out the finer details.

The song accompanied La Fayette all throughout his life. La Marseillaise is and was the official French anthem between 1795 and 1799 as well as shortly during 1830 and then again from 1870 onwards. During his American Tour in 1824/25 the Americans sang a song called Hail! Lafayette to the tune of La Marseillaise and in 1831, the French government under King Louis-Philippe tried to crush a worker’s revolt in Lyon. Martial law was declared, and La Marseillaise was banned. La Fayette opposed this line of action passionately and while the banning of one song was surely the least of La Fayette’s complaints, it was very well a part of the greater picture.

While there is no written account that I know of, I feel comfortable in saying that La Fayette in all likelihood liked La Marseillaise. I hope that helped and I hope you have/had a beautiful day!

[feuillant]

I bought the Memoirs of Louis Philippe, am I a traitor yet?

[fourchette]

Louis Philippe - Like Nobody Do (1986)

[lisamarie-vee]

[joanofarc]

sunday morning camden town, louis philippe (1989).

[dolphin1812]

“As soon as a revolution has made the coast, the skilful make haste to prepare the shipwreck.”

It’s interesting that, in a novel full of drowning imagery, Hugo chooses to reference a shipwreck here (remember Jean Valjean drowning in societal neglect at the beginning of the novel!). It’s not just the intentionality in this shipwreck, or the general tragedy of one; it’s that we very specifically know what the worst part of a shipwreck – victims drowning – looks like. Just as intentional ship-wreckers leave countless to die horrifically by drowning, so do the “skillful” cause others to suffer (and also die) by choosing to prevent the further progression of the revolution. The intentionality is actually a bit shocking to read after the last chapter (which wasn’t that harsh on the Bourbons) with the knowledge that Hugo is generally far more critical of the Bourbons than Louis Philippe (remember how good-humored he was about the gamin’s pear portrait?), and it also contrasts with the unintentional drowning seen with Jean Valjean (where he isn’t seen or heard, just as the social order makes him and his suffering invisible). Then again, Hugo also says the “skillful” are just as aptly called the “mediocre,” so their destruction could be a mix of malice and incompetence (he adds “traitors,” so the malice is still there, at least for some).

I find the dynasty paragraph hilarious because of how he says “procure a dynasty.” I don’t know why, but I find the phrasing very funny. More seriously, I love how he points out the “mask of necessity.” As he said in the last chapter, part of the issue facing the Bourbons (and then Louis Philippe) was that the French no longer saw kings as being so necessary because they had lived without them. Of course, peace and stability were appealing after the tumultuous years of the French Revolution and Napoleon. But monarchy wasn’t the only option anymore, and justifying a dynasty as “necessary” because France was part of a “monarchical continent” seemed bizarre when France had gone so long without a king. It could still seem convincing in the moment, but it’s also easy to see how upsetting hearing that would have been when it’s clearly wrong. The image of swaddling the people is similarly funny, but I like the addition that it’s done to increase fear and suspicion, making someone out to be ill when they’re healthy to discourage action.

And then there’s this:

“Now, logic knows not the “almost,” absolutely as the sun knows not the candle.”

Going back to Les Amis de l’ABC: the “logic of the revolution” is Enjolras. He, unlike Marius, would certainly have been upset by 1830 (especially given the thoughts of Combeferre and, more dramatically, Courfeyrac, who are both presented as more “moderate” than he is). This sentence tells us why he’s so active. He can’t tolerate the “almost” of the July Revolution because small forms of progress can’t satisfy him. Only an actual republic – the sun in this case – can, and that “light” was greatly diminished by the July Revolution’s aftermath. He, along with “absolute right,” has “retired into the darkness” because it is only with concealment that he (and members of other republican organizations) can plan to continue “progressing” when the government is hostile to them.

Hugo’s insistence that the bourgeoisie isn’t real is a bit strange, but the idea of “halting” rather than “stalling” is interesting. As we saw with Les Amis, people are still organizing in hiding. It’s a “halt” to plan in that interest in progress never actually disappears or decreases; it simply becomes less visible, constrained to the realm of plans and theories until the opportunity to act appears.

[bandcampsnoop]

2/2/24.

Young Marble Giants have been a favorite of mine since I first heard them about 15 years ago. Alison Statton's perfect voice and melodies combined with Stuart Moxham's guitar and Philip Moxham's bass created some of the most unique music of the rock era.

Alison Statton has collaborated with many musicians (including Stuart Moxham in The Gist), but her collaboration with Spike Williams is approaching it's 30th year.

Stuart Moxham has worked with many musicians over his career - Barbara Manning comes to mind as an excellent collaboration.

Tiny Global Productions (UK) has released "Bimini Twist" and "The Devil Laughs", the latter an LP where Stuart Moxham works with Louis Philippe. Both albums are great, and currently on sale. And if you buy both, Tiny Global Productions will throw in Nightingales' "The New Nonsense" 12" for free! This sale runs through Sunday.

[holespoles]

Arcadians - Write Your Letter