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JEAN-BAPTISTE LULLY
(1632 - 1687) |
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Italian-born composer (French nationality from 1681). Self-taught
violinist. At 14 went to France and worked as page to cousin of Louis
XIV until prowess as dancer and mime was noted. Entered service of
Louis XIV 1653, composed instrumental music for the court ballets. Some
time before 1656 he became leader of 'les petits violons du Roi', a
band of 21 players (an offshoot of the '24 violons du roi'),
'Instrumental composer to the King' 1653-61, 'Superintendent of Music
and chamber music composer' 1661-2; 'music master to Royal Family' from
1662. From 1664 collaborated with Molière in series of
comedy-ballets which were forerunners of French opera, the last and
most famous being Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, in which Lully danced role
of the Mufti.
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Having assimilated both Italian and French styles and tastes, from 1673
he turned to opera composition and obtained from the King exclusive
rights to arrange operatic performances in Paris. For the next 14
years, working with the poet Quinault, he not only wrote about 20
operas and ballets, but produced and conducted them and trained singers
with firm discipline. He developed the formal 'French Overture', and
replaced Italian recitativo secco with accompanied recitative, placing
special emphasis on a style of declamation suited to French language.
He introduced professional female dancers into the ballet. A supreme
courtier and intriguer, he nevertheless made French opera a popular
art. His death was caused by a gangrenous abscess which formed in his
foot after he struck it with the long staff he used for beating time on
the floor while conducting a Te Deum to celebrate Louis XIV's recovery
from illness.
Operas: Les Fêtes de l'Amour et de Bacchus (1672); Cadmus et
Hermione (1673); Alceste (1674); Thésée (1675);
Atys (1676); Isis (1677); Psyché (1678);
Belérophon (1679); Proserpine (1680); Persée
(1682); Phaéton (1683); Amadis de Gaule (1684); Roland
(1685); Armide et Rénaud (1686); Acis et Galathée
(1686); Achille et Polixéne (with Colasse, 1687, produced
posthumously).
Comedy-ballets with Moliére: Le mariage forcé
(1664); L'amour médecin (1665); La Princesse
d'Élide (1664); Le Sicilien (1667); Georges Dandin (1668);
Monsieur de Pourceaugnac (1669); Les amants magnifiques (1670); Le
Bourgeois Gentilhomme (1670).
Choral: Motets for two choirs (1684); Miserere (1664); Te Deum (1677);
De Profundis (1683); five Grands Motets (1685).
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