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JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU
(1683 - 1764) |
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French composer of the 18th century, and a highly influential music
theorist.
Born in Dijon, where his father was an organist, Rameau traveled to
Italy at the age of 18 and subsequently was employed as an organist in
several French cities, most notably Clermont-Ferrand, where he stayed
until 1722 and where he wrote his Traité de l'harmonie (Treatise
on Harmony, 1722). He moved to Paris in 1723, where he taught
harpsichord and music theory. His early compositions include light
theatrical pieces and religious and harpsichord music.
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In 1731 he
became director of the private orchestra of a wealthy music patron.
This patronage enabled him to turn to opera. Rameau's 30 or so operas
include many masterpieces of the French lyric theater: the tragedies
Hippolyte et Aricie (Hippolytus and Aricia, 1733), Castor et Pollux
(Castor and Pollux, 1737), Dardanus (1739 and 1744 versions), and
Zoroastre (1749); the opéra-ballets Les Indes galantes (The
Gallant Indies, 1735), Les fêtes d'Hébé (The
Festivals of Hebe, 1739), and La princesse de Navarre (1745); and the
comedy Platée (1745). His orchestration was powerful and
innovative, as was the manner in which he used harmony for dramatic
effect.
His Piéces de clavecin en concerts (Concerted Music for
Harpsichord, 1741), for two violins and harpsichord, are among the
earliest such works to give the keyboard an independent, rather than
accompanying part.
His theoretical writing set in systematic form the harmonic practices
of the previous 100 years and detailed theoretical concepts that
remained basic to European harmony until about 1900. Rameau died in
Paris, September 12, 1764.
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