presenter: Shlomi Keinan
Special guest: Zvi Hazanov (Anonymous Francophiles).
In July 2023, I had the pleasure of being a guest speaker at Shlomi Keinan's lecture on the French Baroque. Happily, he agreed to provide this lecture free of charge to Francophiles, and you can watch it here.
If you would like to hear more of Shlomi's lectures, you can do so via theLink this.
Secrets of Le Marais: A Journey into the Historic and Chic Heart of Paris
Join us on a virtual journey to the most fascinating district in Paris. Together we will discover hidden courtyards, French nobility, and the true stories behind the magnificent facades.
What is the lecture about?
During the long reign of Louis XIV (1638-1715), known as the “Sun King,” France A period of cultural flourishing and the arts reached unprecedented heights. Music was of central importance and flourished during Louis' reign, and was also important as a representational art that demonstrated the cultural wealth, power, and strength of France.
Louis was a dancer and theater man, wrote and developed some of the dance traditions himself, and demanded music that suited the court life before and after the construction of the Palace of Versailles - whether it was operas, musical plays (Moliere as a famous example), dance suites, religious music - an enormous wealth of music and musical styles stemmed from that mythological court of Louis XIV.
In the meeting we talk about four composers who represent the time and place:
Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687)
Jean Baptiste Lully, originally from Florence, was also a dancer. Through dance (an art form particularly beloved by the king), the two became close friends, and Lully was appointed the exclusive court composer. Lully's music is stylish and beautiful, full of splendor when necessary and emotion when necessary, and it is possible to recognize in it the strong influences of the Italian style he absorbed as a child.
As mentioned, Louis was a man of the stage, and he also loved and promoted French theater. He cultivated playwrights, and one of the beautiful examples of this type of collaboration is the famous collaboration between Molière and Lully in the play “He is also among the Nobles” – the music from it is one of the composer’s most beloved works to this day.
Marc Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704)
Lully sometimes used his position to limit the work of other composers who worked alongside him, one of whom, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, was also one of the greatest composers of the French Baroque. Charpentier was not Italian, but he went to study music in Rome, then returned to France with the musical knowledge he had acquired in Italy.
Charpentier's music enjoyed renewed interest and revival in the second half of the 20th century, and even the opening of his wonderful "Te Daum" was adopted as the European Broadcasting Union's logo, the famous "Eurovision" logo. When the rift between Molière and Lully arose, Molière also worked with Charpentier, and thus "The Imaginary Patient" was created.
François Couperon (1668-1733)
After these peak years, following a series of serious personal crises and tragedies, the king begins to withdraw into himself. His personality becomes calmer, and his musical taste changes accordingly. No more balls, dances, showy music - but intimate music, things suitable for quiet performance in front of the king in his room - and this is where François Couperin enters the picture.
Couperin is now considered one of the greatest Baroque composers of all time, and was even appreciated by Johann Sebastian Bach, who knew his keyboard works. Couperin himself was one of the greatest organists in Europe, and was adopted by Louis after he heard him play at the church of Saint-Jerba-Saint-Forte. Louis recognized Couperin's genius for composing music suited to the more introspective state of mind he was now in.
Couperin was the scion of a great musical family, and the Italian influence is also evident in his music. His enormous contribution in combining French refinement and elegance with influences from Italy constitutes a vital link in the transition to the Rococo and Gallant eras, the “classical” period.
Michel Richard Delland (1657-1726)
To complete the picture, it is also important to mention Michel Richard Delland, the official responsible for court music after Lully - who signed much of the great, magnificent and festive royal court music - alongside religious works and great motets - all for the splendor and grandeur of the mythical court of Versailles of the Sun King, Louis XIV.
The music of Lully, Charpentier, Couperon, and Dellande plays a central role in defining the cultural and artistic legacy of the reign of Louis XIV. Through their works, the four composers contributed to the status and splendor of the Sun King's court, reflecting the sublime ideas of love, heroism, spirituality, and even divine authority. Their music testifies to the agitation, sophistication, and exquisite taste in the artistic landscape of the French Baroque, embodied in the golden age of Louis XIV's reign.
Did you like the lecture? Want to read more articles that might interest you?
- French Baroque Music That Will Make You Think Its Creators Have Gotten Mad – Some of the works in this article were mentioned during the lecture, but there are quite a few more works that were not mentioned and are worth hearing.
- A walking tour of the 1st arrondissement in Paris following Molière – As you heard in the lecture, Lully and Molière collaborated for most of their careers. If you would like to get to know Paris Where they both lived, you are welcome to enter this article.
- Paris Opera Building – If you would like to know how opera developed in Paris from the days of Lully to the present day, you are welcome to read this article.
An interesting dialogue between Shlomi Keinan and Zvi Hazanov. I listened with interest and read with interest. Makes me want to learn more about the Italian influence, French music from the Renaissance, from the court of Versailles onwards. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much 🙂
It is worth mentioning the links to the fascinating article
About the great composers of the period of Louis XIV, some others who left their mark on such an important period in the Baroque era.
First, let us turn to A. Corelli, who came to visit France at that time. P. Couperon dedicated a poem to him.
The first apotheosis as recognition and admiration
(As is known, J.S. Bach was also influenced by him). F. Couperin dedicated the second apotheosis to J. Baptiste Lully, since he greatly appreciated his musical talents. But between Lully and Corelli
The meeting was charged and not at all friendly, because of Loli.
And the failure of communication with A. Corley. Lully was with
Many powers regarding the copyrights he received
From Louis XIV. Therefore, many famous composers, such as M.A. Charpentier, were affected by this
And they could only publish their works abroad without paying royalties to Lully. Lully's tragic accident (while conducting his work) became a symbol of self-sacrifice on the altar.
Music, despite the negative image it has been given,
Regarding Luli, for his violation of copyright.
In England, H. Purcell was also very famous, who created
In the spirit of the period, great works. Of course, in Italy itself there was a period of fruitful, groundbreaking, and challenging creative prosperity,
by great composers of her own, such as A. Vivaldi, T. Albinoni, A. Scarlatti, B. Marcello
And many more famous people. Lully was immortalized in the city.
Florence has a street named after him (the nickname he had)
To: Guillaume Battista), in recognition of the great honor
which he brought to Italy (as G. Rossini also brought
(Continued from Italy in France). Indeed, a fascinating and unforgettable episode even today.
In the history of music and the geniuses of the Baroque period,
Who left such an important mark.